Stan Laurel

(On Cable TV, June 2022) One of the pitfalls of asking name actors to incarnate well-known historical figures is whether they can (or should) convincingly portray the figure rather than forgo their usual persona. Stan & Ollie offers an interesting case in that Steve Coogan is still a bit too much Steve Coogan when playing Stan Laurel, but John C. Reilley is wonderfully unrecognizable as Oliver Hardy. (Which is saying a lot, considering how few actors have the bulk to play Hardy.)  The film itself is not quite as remarkable as the character work, though. Set toward the twilight of the duo’s career (with a short flashback to the 1930s as introduction), Stan & Ollie focuses on the complex relationship between creative acts, especially when one half of the equation pulls away. It’s a bit glum even when dealing with the comic process (and allowing both Coogan and Reilly to re-create a few comic routines) – this is clearly the behind-the-scenes kind of biography contrasting between public and private personas. It’s certainly very watchable: the historical re-creation is believable, the temptation to cram everything with a short span is largely resisted, and there’s even a pair of good supporting performances from Shirley Henderson and Nina Arianda as the wives of the leads. (Plus, Danny Huston as Hal Roach!)  Stan & Ollie isn’t quite true to the letter of the real-life events, but is generally close enough when it comes to the characters and their evolving relationship. The result should be fascinating to fans of the comedy duo, and interesting to anyone in the right frame of mind for a character study featuring two world-class comedians.