Robin Driscoll Movies

Mr. Bean -- the stick-legged goofball man-child created by Rowan Atkinson on television in the early '90s, and in the 1997 feature Bean -- undertakes his second cinematic adventure in the comic romp Mr. Bean's Holiday. Growing thoroughly sick of the wet, cold, and clammy London weather, Mr. Bean (Atkinson) finds just the right tonic when he wins a trip to sunny southern France, all expenses paid, with a new digital video camera to accompany him. However, he runs headfirst into a series of outrageous and unpleasant situations, such as winding up in a French restaurant where a maître d’ (Jean Rochefort) convinces him to eat bizarre varieties of seafood that he's never before encountered, and discovering that the "Very Fast Train" certainly lives up to its name. Eventually, Mr. Bean (accompanied by a Russian traveling companion whom he meets along his journey) stumbles onto the French Riviera and spoils the latest movie production of snobbish, egomaniacal filmmaker Carson Clay (Willem Dafoe) -- little realizing that his own klutzy video footage will accidentally end up in Clay's film and be screened at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. Unlike the first big-screen incarnation of Atkinson's character, Mr. Bean's Holiday adheres more closely to the formula of the original series by rendering the character almost completely mute. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

A social worker's struggle with a difficult case provides the centerpiece of this Canadian drama. Jane (Nancy Sivak) is bogged down from her work with a drug-addicted mother (Jillian Fargey), the woman's abusive husband (William MacDonald), and the couple's two children. Neither the woman nor her husband want their children put into foster care, and eventually Jane has to call in the police to handle the situation. Her work with the couple is contrasted with Jane's personal life, glimpsed through a long tête-à-tête with her lover (Hiro Kanagawa). ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide

Originally titled Milgaard, this made-for-TV drama is a disturbingly accurate account of one of the most infamous miscarriages of justice in Canadian history. In 1969, 17-year-old hippie David Milgaard (Ian Tracey) is arrested on suspicion for the rape and murder on nursing assistant Gail Miller (Ardith Boxall). Anxious for a quick conviction despite a paucity of conclusive evidence, the authorities in Saskatchewan rush David's trial through, and within less than two months of the murder he is sent to prison for life. As David's mother Joyce (Gabrielle Rose]) and a team of dedicated pro bono attorneys battle to clear her son's name, David goes through hell behind bars--for the next twenty-three years. First telecast in Canada in April of 1999 (though banned from viewing in Saskatchewan, where the events took place), Milgaard was retitled Hard Time: The David Milgaard Story for airing in the US via the Lifetime channel. Since that time, a third title has been bestowed on the film at the behest of David's family: Innocent: The David Milgaard Story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this comic British caper film, an LA computer whiz finds herself recruited by an eccentric British lawyer who wants her to use her skills to defraud a powerful London bank that has been using its money to exploit a Third World country for tourism. She accepts his offer and mayhem ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Rowan Atkinson once more stars as the eminently clumsy and clueless Mr. Bean in this 30-minute comedy special. The fun begins with the first of three brief sketches, "The Hospital," in which Bean gets his hand stuck in a teapot, then tries to get instant service at the local outpatient ward. In "Camera," our hero prepares a dour security guard for a very special photograph. And in "Bedtime," Bean sees nothing illogical in using a calculator to cure his insomnia. Originally telecast in Britain on September 20, 1995, "Goodnight Mr. Bean" has since been issued to video in such compilations as The Final Frolics of Mr. Bean and The Complete Mr. Bean, Vol. 1. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

That least handy of handymen, the redoubtable Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson), wreaks his usual havoc in this 30-minute BBC comedy special. The action is subdivided into four brief segments: In "New Year's Eve Party," Mr. Bean improvises some (yechh!) tasty snacks for his guests; in "Department Store," our hero goes to great lengths to purchase a marked-down recliner; and in "Home Improvement" and "The Ride Home," the titles tell all (Crash! Bang! Ouch! Sorry!). Do It Yourself Mr. Bean was originally telecast in Britain on January 10, 1994, and seen in America not long afterward. This special was later included in such video compilations as The Perilous Pursuits of Mr. Bean and The Complete Mr. Bean, Vol. 2. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Rowan Atkinson is both the star and co-writer of this 30-minute comedy special. As the magnificently clumsy and thick-eared Mr. Bean, Atkinson trips his way through four brief sketches, all unified by a central "hotel" theme. In "The Bath," Bean tries to wash himself, much to the consternation of his neighbor in the next room; in "The Stairs," he encounters difficulty descending; in "The Buffet," he learns the perils of "All You Can Eat"; and in "Locked Out," an embarrassing situation becomes impossible with Bean on the scene. Originally telecast in Britain on February 17, 1993, and in America in January of 1994, "Mr. Bean in Room 426" has since been included in such video compilations as The Merry Mishaps of Mr. Bean and The Complete Mr. Bean, Vol. 2. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

First telecast in Britain on January 1, 1992, the 30-minute comedy special The Trouble With Bean once again stars Rowan Atkinson as the brainless, incredibly accident-prone title character. This time, Bean cuts a disastrous swath through three short, interrelated sketches. In the first, our hero, late for his dental appointment, tries to get dressed while driving his car. In the second, Bean ends up administering anesthetic to the hapless dentist (Richard Wilson). And in the final sketch, Bean returns to the park, where he tangles with a pesky fly and a remote-control toy boat. "The Trouble with Mr. Bean" made its American TV bow on April 30, 1992, and has since been released in such video compilations as The Terrible Tales of Mr. Bean and The Complete Mr. Bean, Vol. 1. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In his second half-hour BBC special, the spectacularly clumsy and clueless Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) stumbles and bumbles his way through three brief, interrelated sketches. In "The Department Store," Bean manages to lose his credit card in another fellow's pocket. In "The Restaurant," the food is terrible -- and such small portions. And in "Royal Film," Bean prepares to meet the Royal Family while standing in a long, long line (frequent Mr. Bean supporting actress Tina Maskell makes a significant appearance at the end of this bit). Written by star Atkinson in collaboration with Richard Curtis and Robin Driscoll, "The Return of Mr. Bean" first aired in Britain on November 5, 1990, and in America on April 9, 1992. It has since been included in such video compilations as The Amazing Adventures of Mr. Bean and The Complete Mr. Bean, Vol. 2. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dexter King (Jeff Goldblum) is an actor who spends his nights on-stage in London's West End as a comedic punching bag for obnoxiously self-centered comedian Ron Anderson (Rowan Atkinson). He gets hit in the head with hammers, he trips, and he stands by dumbly as Anderson gets all the laughs. His home life is little different. His roommate, Carmen (Geraldine James), is a nymphomaniac, so he's always surprised by naked men parading through the kitchen in the morning. A chance meeting with lovely nurse Kate Lemon (Emma Thompson) and a tryout for the lead in a new Andrew Lloyd Webber-ish musical based on The Elephant Man (called, not surprisingly, "Elephant!") jolt Dexter from his torpor. Not that it makes him much less of a loser, which is the quality the show's producers are looking for. "You're a victim," they tell him. His attempts to seduce Kate are equally jarring. She asks him if he is a big believer in having sex on the first date. "Why, no," he tells her, trying to impress her with his sensitivity. Too bad, she replies -- she doesn't believe in getting serious with someone if they're sexually incompatible. Romance and showbiz go on, with the show a hit, though Dexter's romance hits a temporary snag: his backstage romance with a co-star (Kim Thomson) gets found out. ~ Nick Sambides, Jr., All Movie Guide

In this partially successful Brit sci-fi comedy, four invading aliens cannot really think their way out of a paper bag, much less conquer Earth with their superior knowledge (apparently also non-existent). Of the aliens, Desmond (Jimmy Nail) is particularly thick-headed and leaves Bernard (Mel Smith) dangling out in space, Sandra (Joanne Pearce) attracts the romantic interest of British Commander Matteson (Dinsdale Landen), and Julian (Paul Brown) is along for the ride. After this trio causes a traffic snarl when they land on a British expressway, they are first interrogated and then given jobs in showbiz so they can support themselves. This leads to a great rock singing career, which in turn, leads to a U.S. tour -- though this does not equate rock singers and aliens. Meanwhile, Bernard has been saved from his abandonment in space by an unlikely space-wanderer who drops him off in the U.S., where he is put in an insane asylum. Sure enough, when his three companions start their U.S. tour, Bernard escapes and tries to rejoin them. The saga continues on until some sort of very unlikely rescue seems in store. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide