In the 1937 Laurel and Hardy were one of the greatest comedy duos of
all time! Put together as a comedy team at Hal Roach studios years
earlier they became great friends. With Stan Laurel (Coogan) writing
most of their material they made the studio a ton of money from their
pictures but were still not paid as much as people like Charlie Chaplin.
Most of the money they did make went to paying alimony and
gambling. But when Stan’s contract is up, he looks for a better deal for
himself and his partner Oliver Hardy (Reilly) after a heated argument
with the studio head Hal Roach. But you see Oliver’s contract is not up
yet and he does a picture with another actor. All the while this is
happening Stan is waiting in the office of a major studio head to sign a
contract for a huge deal. This put a slight rift on the relationship of the
classic comedy duo. Sixteen years later, their golden era behind them,
the duo is on a tour of Britain and Ireland. Stan hoping to get a movie
producer in London to make a movie that he has written for himself
and Ollie that would bring them back. Playing a variety hall tour of small
theatres and even smaller crowds for an agent that doesn’t seem to
have too much faith in the classic duo. Dismayed by the small crowds
and that people don’t really know who they are anymore they continue
in the hopes of getting to London so that the big movie producer could
see them and make their picture. In order to get bigger crowds at their
shows as the small crowds force their tour to be cancelled, they do
public appearances to promote themselves and their act which starts to
take its toll on Oliver’s already failing health. But as the crowd size
increases so does the theatres as they reach London where their wives
who meet them. With the love and support of their spouses they carry
on. And it is also there that some long-buried issues with one another
come up as the pressures of the tour gets to them. This leads to Oliver’s
health taking a turn for the worst forcing him to drop out of the rest of
the tour and Stan to have to finish it with another partner. But with any
friendship Stan could not go on without Oliver and Oliver could not sit
by and either forced into retirement. So, in what became their farewell
tour the classic comedy duo gave the performance of a lifetime
showing that the bonds of friendship are stronger than anything!
How does that sound my friends? Yeah, I know I ask you that question
every time! But it’s just what I do! For me I though this was a very
heartwarming true story about the bonds of friendship. While at 1hr
and 38 min this movie was a great re-telling of the classic comedy duos
farewell tour and the friendship they shared. The movie was well
written and while there might have been some things changed for the
big screen like it is so often done! This movie was put together nicely.
While it did have some parts that lagged a bit. It kept the story going
nicely. Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly put in great performances in
their respective roles as Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. It may not be one
of those movies that garner a lot of advertising for audiences being a
smaller picture it was good and worth the money for the admission
cost. That is why I am giving Stan &Ollie a 7.3 on The Justin Scale Of
Movies, putting it on my Pick-It List of movies to see in the theatre!
That my friends is a wrap on my latest movie review! Until next time
remember to keep that popcorn freshly popped and to save me a good
seat, because I will be seeing you again at the movies! 
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