Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie is the engaging and turbulent comic adventure of television personalities Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley), spun off from the popular BBC television series, Absolutely Fabulous. The feature film directed by Mandie Fletcher, extends the hedonistic decadence and chaotic extravaganzas the duo was famous for in the television series into the heart of the big screen.

The story re-introduces us to Edina Monsoon, a PR agent who is feeling her age and fear of waning popularity, and Patsy Stone, a fashion magazine editor who is equally terrified of losing her glitz and glamour. The film picks up with them still living it up in the heart of London’s ritzy and glamorous fashion and PR scene, but with times changing and their glamour fading, they need a miracle to keep their lifestyle afloat. The quick-witted, raucous, and often completely inept scheming of Edina and Patsy provide the primary momentum for the plot.

Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley wonderfully reprise their roles as the champagne-guzzling, caviar-munching, fashion-obsessed best friends. Their chemistry is as magnetic and hilarious as ever on the big screen, and their performances are as over-the-top and devotee to excess as they were on the small screen.

Jane Horrocks also returns to her role as Edina's weird, extremely eccentric, and hilarious assistant, Bubble. Horrocks brings a surreal and often otherworldly innocence to the absolute madness that surrounds Edina and Patsy's day-to-day lives. Bubble serves as an often unintentional instigator for some of the film's most comic and outlandish moments. Other actors from the television series, including Julia Sawalha as Edina's daughter, Saffron, and June Whitfield as Edina's mother, also return to add more familiar faces to the ensemble.

A hallmark of the original series was Edina and Patsy’s continuous struggle to stay hip and trendy. This theme is even more prominent in the movie, with Edina desiring to land fashion legend Kate Moss as her client to revive her falling career. However, when an opportunity presents itself in the most unexpected way, the fashion, PR, and high-society lifestyle that the duo had taken for granted is put at risk. This misadventure leads them into a slew of slapstick shenanigans resulting from their attempts to maintain their 'Absolutely Fabulous' lifestyle at any cost.

It is the midnight escapades and ludicrous high jinks that ensue, which take the duo from their home town of London to the monetarily inviting playground playground of the mega-rich, the French Riviera, that complements the dizzying entertainment to this film. One can’t help but be dragged into the whirlwind of madness, much like the clutter of celebrities and fashion personalities who make cameos throughout the film. The likes of Jon Hamm, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Rebel Wilson, Kate Moss herself, among many others add an extra sparkling glimmer to the shiny world of Edina and Patsy.

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie is a riotous journey that takes you through an absurdist version of celebrity culture, filled with rapid-fire jokes, outrageous set pieces and more celebrity cameos than you can count. It offers an exaggerated reflection on the relentless pursuit of fame, the struggles of aging, and the fear of irrelevance, all while adding a satirical twist. With the original creative team leading this cinematic venture, the essence of the original series is carefully preserved, while the higher production values of a film budget allow for even bolder and more ridiculous exploits.

In conclusion, Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie serves a full-bodied, raucous cocktail of laughter and escapism that existing fans of the franchise will adore, while also acting as a decent entry point for those unfamiliar with the original series. It brings together the elements that made the television series a hit in the 90s, updated to suit the modern world. It remains true to its characters, allowing them to bask in their insatiable hedonism, while never missing an opportunity for sharp observational comedy, and providing a constant stream of laughs. The result is an unapologetically flamboyant film that revels in its excesses, much like its protagonists.