Ashley Jensen Movies

Filmmaker Chris Atkins uses his documentary Taking Liberties to make a case for the erosion of civil liberties in the administration of prime minister Tony Blair. Atkins uses a combination of archival and interview footage to reveals a series of heinous injustices carried out against British citizens, from unlawful imprisonment, to outrageous terrorism accusations, to punishment by torture and outlawed protests. Highlights include Jack Straw's negotiations with the United States that yielded an unfavorable balance of extraditing power in favor of the U.S., and Walter Wolfgang's arrest, under the blanket of terrorism, for heckling a Labour Party conference. Original animated sequences link individual the segments, narrated by Ashley Jensen. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Enraged at the critical evisceration of his highly rated sitcom "When the Whistle Blows," an irrational Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais) resorts to extreme measures in a desperate attempt to balance respectability with fame. Though television viewers tune in to his show in droves, Andy can't stand the fact that the critics think he's a no-talent hack. Convinced that he'll never achieve a modicum of artistic respectability, Andy does the only thing that seems to make sense in his blind rage: He cancels the show, fires his do-nothing agent Darren (Stephen Merchant), turns down every role he sees as "beneath him," and even lashes out at his best friend Maggie (Ashley Jensen). Before long the reality of what he has done gradually begins to sing in, prompting a depressed Andy to ponder whether success was really worth all the trouble. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Most of the six episodes in the first season of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's Extras follow a similar plot arc: bitter day player Andy (Gervais) trades barbs with his friend and colleague Maggie (Scottish actress Ashley Jensen), lobbies unsuccessfully for his agent (Merchant) to find him a proper acting gig, ingratiates himself with one of the big-name actors on whose films he's working, and finds himself stymied by either Maggie's verbal diarrhea or his own prickly personality. Within these narrow confines, however, Gervais and Merchant find just as much comic material as they did in the quotidian workplace of their breakout hit, The Office. The two shows definitely share an aesthetic, from their dry comedic sensibility to the laugh-track-free style that underscores their long, uncomfortable silences. Unlike the ensemble-style The Office, however, Extras focuses on just three core characters and a revolving cast of guest stars, including the celebrities who lend their names to the episode titles. Hollywood stars Ben Stiller, Kate Winslet, Samuel L. Jackson, and Patrick Stewart all spoof their public personae with glee, as do U.K. personalities Ross Kemp and Les Dennis. Written and directed jointly by Gervais and Merchant, Extras is a joint production of the BBC, where it ran in its native England, and HBO, where it appeared in America. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Having put off studying until the last possible moment, Will (Will Smith) pulls an "all-nighter" in order to pass his midterms. Alas, he finds it impossible to concentrate thanks to a myriad of distractions. Foremost among these is a noisy cricket which drives the entire household crazy (and sparks a bizarre nocturnal "safari" headed by Geoffrey [Joseph Marcel]), but a caffeine-crazed Hilary (Karyn Parsons) and a curfew-breaking Ashley (Tatyana M. Ali) also contribute to the cacophony. Musician-composer Branford Marsalis appears as himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A group of actors and filmmakers set out to adapt an "unfilmable" classic novel -- but find that their own petty concerns get in the way -- in this satirical comedy. Laurence Sterne's 18th century novel The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman told the story of its priggish title character from the moment of conception onward, with a bevy of digressions, distractions, and unfinished anecdotes. In adapting the work for the screen, director Michael Winterbottom chose to stay true to its anarchic spirit: the film begins as a mostly straightforward adaptation of events in Sterne's writings, and then veers into a tale about the making of the film itself. Steve Coogan plays Tristram Shandy, who narrates his own life story, beginning with his slightly botched birth, overseen by an addled doctor (Dylan Moran) and his reticent father, Walter (also played by Coogan). Constantly quarreling with his battle-scarred brother, Toby (Rob Brydon), Walter Shandy has an epiphany when he holds his newborn son; however, before that moment can occur, the film switches into the present day, where Coogan and Brydon, playing themselves, bicker over costuming and the size of their roles in the film. The rest of the film's crew has their own concerns. Director Mark (Jeremy Northam) is trying to figure out how to secure a big Hollywood star for a supporting role and shoot a battle scene on a budget. The film's brainy production assistant Jennie (Naomie Harris) worries that their adaptation is leaving out the best parts of the book, as she nurses a crush on one of the cast members. All the while, Coogan tries to deflect a tabloid reporter's inquiry into his strip-club escapades, and attempts to pacify the concerns of his wife, Jenny (Kelly MacDonald). Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story had its North American premiere at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide