BRYAN@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (Bryan Whitehead) (10/07/89)
[Note: the "Cartoon Laws" posted here recently were apparently taken in large
part from "O'Donnell's Laws of Cartoon Motion" in the June 1980 issue of
ESQUIRE magazine, a fact that the original poster didn't mention (and may not
have known--these things tend to travel from person to person). -Moderator.]
HOW TO GET AHEAD IN ADVERTISING
A film review by Bryan Whitehead
Copyright 1989 Bryan Whitehead
1989, Britain, Color, 90 mins.
directed by Bruce Robinson
starring Richard E. Grant
Rachel Ward
Richard Wilson
Contains some profanity, minor violence, minor gore, and brief, nonsuggestive
nudity.
Overall rating.....3.5 on the 0-4 scale.
At the outset, let me confess that I'm in the process of starting
postgraduate studies in Advertising, so perhaps this film is a little bit more
poignant to me than to general audiences. Nonetheless, I feel that the wit of
Mr. Robinson's latest effort are enough to make this film very attractive to
anyone living in the ad-addicted 20th Century.
HOW TO GET AHEAD IN ADVERTISING is the tale of Bagley, an advertising whiz
kid who is driven to distraction by his inability to come up with a slogan for
pimple cream. As Bagley's derangement progresses, we learn that the true
source of his anxiety is a deep-seated misgiving about the ethics of the entire
advertising profession. The malady that arises causes no end of hilarious
situations (forgive me if I'm too vague, but it's difficult to explicate the
rich humor of the film without giving the plot away). All I'll say is that the
title is a terrible pun.
Grant turns in an outstanding performance as the manically panicing
Bagley. Ward does an acceptable job as his wife, and Wilson delightfully
grates as Bagley's "old boy" boss. Technically, the film is fairly low-key.
The special effects are good without being attention-drawing or technically
outstanding. Camera/editing technique is standard fare. The pace is good
(this one won't put anyone to sleep). The script is consistently witty, never
slowing down for a second (it even features a brief poke at the Blake fans in
the audience).
Bryan