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Outside Edge : The Complete First Series
RRP: £14.99
Our Price: £7.93 (subject to change)
Owzat! for quality
Review date: 2008-06-03 Rating: 10 out of 10
This is possibly Blethyn's finest hour, while Spall, Daws and Lawrence are all great fielders in this brilliantly nuanced comedy-drama. You'll be knocked for six by the witty understated playing of all the cast, and the spot-on script.
In short, Mim (Blethyn) is the long-suffering wife of Roger (Daws) captain of the local cricket team. Every saturday she makes the teas and puts up with the years and years of chauvenistic banter. But then one of the players, Kevin (The sublime Spall) introduces Maggie (Lawrence) into the mix. Maggie and Mim are unlikely friends, but Mim is suddenly, equisitely, painfully, aware of her situation. As the team prepare to face Fatty Willacott's Cromer Mob, the tempers fray and scerets spill out. It's like Mike Leigh with more laughs, Like Desperate Housewives in Surrey. It's like the Good Life on a cricket field. And it is superb.
Interestingly, the original play (disc 2) with a promising cast (Prunella Scales etc) is nothing like a funny. The series is just right - the music (Carmen, Peter & The Wolf...), the comic timing, the discreet gestures, the delivery of the script is utterly brilliant. The series showcases a masterclass in comic acting, and indeed script writing. Perfection!
Similar Products
- Outside Edge : The Complete Second Series
- Outside Edge - Series 3 - Complete
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Reviews
Great cast, great writing
Review date: 2006-12-02 Rating: 8 out of 10
What is not made clear is that the second disc in this 2 disc set is the original pilot play from 1982, staring Prunella Scales, Paul Eddington, Maurenn Lipman and Jonathan Lynn. That is worth the price on it's own!
FAB
Review date: 2006-08-31 Rating: 10 out of 10
I thought this dvd was excellent!! When my mum showed me it i thought it would be boring - but it is SO funny!
I LOVE IT! it is worth having. :) :D
Lived up to the memories!
Review date: 2005-08-28 Rating: 8 out of 10
I used to watch this on ITV and was delighted to find it had finally been released on DVD as searches had previously revealed only (extortionately priced) second-hand video tapes.
The series definitely lived up to everything I'd remembered, and in fact revealed more subtleties than I'd been aware of. Maybe that's a reflection of my growing older more than my memory loss! The only gripe I have with this, is the part where the commercial break used to be is too obvious, with the title page coming up and staying there for far too long - around 30 seconds, maybe more. Doesn't sound much but it breaks the concentration/mood and is obviously not necessary now that there are no commercials to fit in! Other than that, I'm more than satisfied with this purchase and would recommend it highly.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Timothy Spall
Robert Daws
Brenda Blethyn
Josie Lawrence
Creators:
Brenda Blethyn (Primary Contributor)
Robert Daws (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Network
Manufacturer: Network
EAN: 5027626228743
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 2
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2005-07-04
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 175 minutes
Language: English (Original Language)