Brian Gittins from After Life takes centre stage in a new comedy out today (Friday 8 July), in which he miraculously builds a robot - and trust me, you don't want to miss it. Watch the trailer here:
Lovable oddball Brian proved to be a fan favourite in Ricky Gervais' hit Netflix series, and many begrudged his underuse. But now you can enjoy an hour-and-a-half of David Earl's character on the big screen in Brian and Charles - a film that will definitely make you laugh, and just might make you cry too.
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Set in a remote valley in North Wales, Brian is an outsider in the rural community, spending his days inventing pointless contraptions, such as egg belts, pine cone bags and flying cuckoo clocks.
His lonely life is changed forever though when a robot he built bursts into life. His gangly creation - who has a washing machine for a torso - assumes the name Charles Petrescu, and together they forge a special relationship that is pushed to the limit by the perils and temptations of the outside world.
And while you may not want to expose your kids to the foulmouthed, randy Brian we see in After Life, the version in the film is far more family friendly.
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"When Ricky puts him on screen he's a bit perverted," star and co-writer Earl told LADbible. "But whenever I have I've always tried to soften him.
"Ricky likes dirt, and grubbiness," he added.
"But we wanted to make like a live-action Pixar [film]. We just wanted something that would appeal to the family and have a bit of magic."
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Indeed, while this iteration of Brian might be much sweeter, the film still has the feel of some of Gervais' best work - which is no surprise, given the 'huge influence' he's had on Earl's career.
Gervais has handed him numerous roles, in the likes of Derek and Extras, and Earl said he 'absolutely' would've given up on comedy without his backing when he was starting out.
"I was just driving a van delivering building tools and I got a call from his agent," the 48-year-old recalled.
"The little short film I made landed on his desk and then he invited me up to meet him and Stephen (Merchant).
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"They were writing a Christmas episode of The Office, so you know they were just royals - well, they still are, but they were right in the middle of it.
"So for someone delivering a cement mixer yesterday morning... yeah, it was amazing."
Evidently, Gervais has an eye for talent, and Brian and Charles is a film that'd he'd be proud of.
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In a time of hyper-hench film stars and equally beefy CGI budgets, there's something irresistibly charming about bespectacled Brian and chunky Charles. Joyfully silly and surprisingly meaningful, the movie will amuse you and move you. Go and see it.
You can watch Brian and Charles in cinemas now.
Topics: TV and Film
Jake Massey