The Parole Officer (2001)

Director:

John Duigan

Writers:

Steve Coogan (written by)
Henry Normal (written by)

Release Date:

10 August 2001 (Ireland)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Steve Coogan Is....[The Parole Officer]

Plot:

A failed parole officer framed for murder must enlist the help of his former clients to clear his name.

Plot Keywords:

Bank | Parole Officer | Murder | Police | Evidence

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Steve Coogan	...	Simon Garden
Emma Gilmour	...	Secretary
Susan Jane Tanner	...	Stern Woman
Iain Mitchell	...	Tribunal Chairman
James Smith	...	Tribunal Man
Om Puri	...	George
Steven Waddington	...	Jeff
Ben Miller	...	Colin
Emma Williams	...	Kirsty
Stephen Dillane	...	Inspector Burton
Bruce McGregor	...	First Policeman
Lena Headey	...	Emma
Justin Burrows	...	Mills
Marc Goodhall	...	Death / Student (as Marc Goodall)
Clive Kneller	...	Deacon

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexual content/nudity and language.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Australia:PG | Sweden:7 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Spain:T | UK:12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK

Company:

DNA Films

Trivia:

A CGI shot of a wasp flying up Steve Coogan's nose took 12 hours and 10,000 feet of 35mm film before the wasp flying in a small glass cabinet could be coaxed into the nostril of green wax head

Goofs:

Continuity: A car disappears from behind Simon as he rings Gerorge's doorbell.

Quotes:

Simon Garden: I've got to go back.
George: Never go back.
Simon Garden: I left the tape.
George: In that case, go back.

Movie Connections:

References Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Soundtrack:

Dreamer

Conventional feelgood caper movie, unconventional lead character

You've seen similar plots, characters, tension/release "will the good guys prevail against unbelievable odds" elements if you've seen any movies at all. But you probably haven't seen too many lead characters like Steve Coogan's rather ungifted parole officer in this.

Coogan specialises in 'little' English characters (though quite a diverse range over his career) - graceless, irritating, of terrific drive but little achievement, and prone to finding the greatest possible embarrassment and humiliation in any situation. They're somewhat like Michael Palin's favourite type of characters (if you know Eric Olthwaite from the TV series "Ripping Yarns" that's probably one of his) but Palin had more affection for them as a rule.

Somewhat unusually for Coogan he displays a certain affection for his parole officer here - he has his triumphs - but this is a more conventional kind of entertainment than Coogan is normally prone to.

It really is just a feelgood comedy caper movie, with a stand-out lead character, but the feelgood stuff is done pretty slickly, and the protagonist is invariably hilarious - Coogan is funny every time he puts himself at the centre of a scene.

I can understand why other long-term Coogan fans are surprised or disappointed about the conventional nature of this movie, as opposed to his TV work. But I think "The Parole Officer" achieves everything it intended to. Steve Coogan is an exceedingly talented man.