Withnail and I (Criterion Collection): 4K UHD Review

Bruce Robinson’s feature film directorial debut, Withnail and I arrives on 4K UHD for the first time in the U.S., courtesy of Criterion.  Considered one of Britain’s biggest cult films, the 1987 black comedy is loosely based on Robinson’s own experiences.  It’s also Richard E. Grant’s feature film debut.

Set in 1969 London, a couple of unemployed actors, Withnail (Grant) and Marwood (Paul McGann) decide to leave their depressing flat in Camden Town in hopes of unwinding during a brief holiday in the countryside. Withnail’s uncle, Monty (Richard Griffiths) has a cottage out there and gives them the keys. While Withnail is a loud-mouth alcoholic, Marwood is timid and neurotic. The pair don’t make for the best of flat mates, but as the story progresses, it seems their friendship may not last forever either.

When the two arrive at the cottage, they discover that the building is not in the best of shape and that the cabinets are bare. There is no food and worst of all, no alcohol. They do find a local farmer that brings them wood and a chicken to eat. Unfortunately, the chicken is still alive, so the pair have to figure out who will kill and clean it before the cooking can begin. This holiday winds up becoming anything but. From fears of locals trying to harm them to Uncle Monty showing up unexpectedly and making unwanted advances towards Marwood. Some of the events that follow have definitely not aged well in my opinion and to be perfectly honest, I just didn’t find all that funny. Having said that, Grant truly shines here, just like in his follow-up with Robinson, How to Get Ahead in Advertising.

There is some great dialogue on display and Robinson’s skills as a writer I feel surpassed his work as a filmmaker. I can’t say I have the same kind of fondness for Withnail and I as those who adore it. How to Get Ahead in Advertising (which was also released on Blu-ray this week from Criterion) is the one I enjoyed most.  While I love a great chunk of the writing on display, the film just seemed to slog along for me.

Criterion’s new 2160p restoration was supervised by the film’s D.P. Peter Hannan, and presented in Dolby Vision. The thing that struck me were how incredible the locations looked. From the street and buildings of Camden Town to the fog-covered greenery of the countryside. The interior and exterior of Monty’s cabin also stands out with almost every aged detail on display. The locations are never vibrant, as everything seems kind of dark and gloomy, even during the day. However, it all looks truly natural. With this being a dialogue driven film, the English LPCM 1.0 audio track is adequate. The various rock songs don’t really jump out of the speakers, but the conversations are crystal clear. While I may not love Withnail and I, I can say that fans of the film, will truly love this release.

Bonus Features:

• New 4K digital restoration, supervised by director of photography Peter Hannan, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• Two audio commentaries, one from 2020 featuring director Bruce Robinson, and the other from 2001 featuring actors Ralph Brown and Paul McGann
• New short program featuring Robinson and actor Richard E. Grant
• Withnail and Us (1999), a documentary on the making of the film
• British Film Institute Q&A from 2017 with Robinson and Grant
• Stills gallery featuring photographs by artist Ralph Steadman
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by critic David Cairns

By: Marc Ferman

Order WITHNAIL AND I on 4K UHD