Bean (film)

Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Mel Smith
Produced by	Peter Bennett-Jones Tim Bevan Eric Fellner
Written by	Rowan Atkinson Richard Curtis Robin Driscoll
Starring	Rowan Atkinson
Music by	Howard Goodall
Cinematography	Francis Kenny
Editing by	Christopher Blunden
Studio	Working Title Films Tiger Aspect Productions Gramercy Pictures
Distributed by	PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Release date(s)	1 August 1997 (UK) 5 November 1997 (US) 3 July 1997 (AUS)
Running time	87 min.
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$18,000,000
Box office	$251,212,670

Bean, also known as Mr. Bean: The Movie and Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie is a 1997 British-American comedy film based on the popular ITV comedy Television series Mr. Bean, which was written by and starring Rowan Atkinson as the title character. The main plot follows Bean entrusted to oversee the transfer of priceless painting Whistler's Mother from a gallery in London to a museum in the United States. In the process, a number of unfortunate mishaps see Bean inadvertently break up a marriage, annoy an American policeman and accidentally destroy the painting, although a shrewd plan results in these mistakes being rectified. The film was written by Atkinson and Richard Curtis and was directed by Mel Smith, all of whom originally worked together on Not the Nine O'Clock News. Its working title was initially "Dr. Bean", based on a misunderstanding which forms part of the plot of the film.^[1]

Plot

Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) is a well-meaning, but hopelessly clumsy and destructive guard at the Royal National Gallery in London. In order to rid themselves of the turmoil Bean unintentionally causes, his employers send him to the United States to oversee the transfer of Whistler's Mother to a Los Angeles art gallery. Bean's visit has been arranged by curator David Langley (Peter MacNicol), who, being very impressed by the National Gallery's fabricated praise of "Dr. Bean", decides to board him in his house. On his flight to Los Angeles, Bean attempts to amuse a child with air sickness by blowing up his M&Ms bag and popping it to wake up the man in front of him, but without success. After the child throws up into an air sickness bag, Bean takes the bag from him and repeats the bag popping over the man's face, only to splatter him with vomit. He hides from the man upon his arrival to Los Angeles, where he is detained at the airport due to pretending to have a gun. His arrival at David's house is initially met with subtle hostility from David's wife Alison (Pamela Reed), son Kevin (Andrew Lawrence), and daughter Jennifer (Tricia Vessey). However, Alison refuses David's request to allow Bean to live with them for two months, and David promises Alison to talk to Bean and take him to a hotel after their meeting at the gallery.

Bean's unorthodox arrival at the gallery worries many of David's colleagues, particularly his boss, George Grierson (Harris Yulin), who subtlety warns David that he will be responsible for Bean's actions at the unveiling of the painting, but David promises that he can handle Bean, convinced that he is merely a little eccentric. When David takes Bean back to his house, Alison departs for her mother's home, unwilling to live with Bean. With his family gone, David decides to take Bean on a tour of the Los Angeles art galleries. However, Bean decides that he and David should go to Pacific Park instead, but lands in police detainment for the second time after tampering with the controls of a motion simulator ride, making it go dangerously fast, after deeming that his first ride earlier was too slow. This prompts Lieutenant Brutus (Richard Gant), who dealt with Bean at the airport, to make David accountable for Bean, threatening to arrest Bean if he ever steps out of line again.

Following a miserable dinner with Grierson which David had forgotten about, where Bean accidentally blows up the microwave after attempting to cook their Thanksgiving turkey in it, David finally realises that Bean is not a doctor and knows nothing about art. The next day, Whistler's Mother arrives at the Los Angeles gallery, and Bean is given a few minutes alone to study it, in an effort to keep him out of trouble. While dusting the frame, Bean accidentally sneezes on the painting and wipes it with a handkerchief, not knowing that it is covered in blue ink from a broken pen, and therefore the painting is stained. Terrified, Bean takes it to the caretaker's cupboard to get some agent by which to remove the ink. He uses lacquer thinner, which also dissolves the painted face from the painting. Much to his horror, Bean attempts to patch it up with an extremely unconvincing cartoon face. Upon seeing it, David is also horrified and hides the painting in the metallic frame. Fearing that David will lose his job and possibly face criminal proceedings for the vandalism, he and Bean drink at a bar.

During the night, Bean hatches a plan to restore the painting, and gathers a few items from David's house and makes his way to the art gallery. He distracts the only security guard on duty by putting laxative in his coffee, followed by switching the men's bathroom keys with some other set. He then exchanges the painting for a poster version of itself. At the unveiling of Whistler's Mother the next day, David is overjoyed to see the painting is restored, but expects Bean to make a fool of himself on national television when he takes the podium at the press conference. However, Bean's brief but effective speech regarding the work are both very simple and very deep, cementing the public's perception of him as a scholarly virtuoso. Despite initial doubts, the officials and hierarchy appear to take his words to heart and enjoy the speech. After the unveiling, Brutus finds David and informs him that Jennifer has been involved in a motorcycle accident because she rebelled against David for not getting rid of Bean, and is in intensive care. Bean and David are given a police escort to the hospital to see Jennifer; however, Brutus stops on his way to deal with an armed robber, who shot Brutus in his stomach before being arrested.

Due to a mix-up at the hospital, Bean is mistaken for a medical doctor and pushed into an operating theatre containing Brutus, who is barely alive. While the other doctors and nurses are distracted, Bean unconventionally retrieves the bullet and eventually rescues Brutus. Bean is again mistaken for a doctor, and this time, David takes him in to see Jennifer, who is unconscious. Bean, unsure what to do, attempts to use a defibrillator to bring Jennifer back to life, but accidentally shocks himself and is sent flying across the room, landing on Jennifer and bringing her back to life in the process. Still not recognising Bean, David and Alison tell him that they will offer him anything. Bean reveals himself and then asks if he can stay with them for another week before returning to London. Though baffled, the Langleys gladly accept. After another week in Los Angeles with the Langleys, for which he gives the family gifts, learns the middle finger and explores the city, Bean finally returns to London, accompanied by the original Whistler's Mother, which he had stowed away in his suitcase to hide it from Grierson. In his flat, Bean, getting ready to bed for the night, turns off the light and looks at the original Whistler's Mother picture he made, and shows it to his Teddy before closing his eyes and going to sleep.

Cast

• Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean
• Peter MacNicol as David Langley
• Burt Reynolds as Gen. Newton
• Pamela Reed as Alison Langley
• Richard Gant as Lt. Brutus
• Andrew Lawrence as Kevin Langley
• Tricia Vessey as Jennifer Langley
• Johnny Galecki as Stingo Wheelie
• Sandra Oh as Bernice Schimmel
• Harris Yulin as George Grierson
• Larry Drake as Elmer
• Tom McGowan as Walter Merchandise
• June Brown as Delilah
• Chris Ellis as Det. Butler
• Robert Curtis Brown as Dr. Frowning

Reception and box office

The cover as shown on a DVD

The film was criticised for breaking with the programme's tradition of having Mr. Bean as the centre of attention and for the alleged Americanisation required to sell it overseas (Bean also speaks intelligibly, albeit with apparent difficulty, as opposed to his frequent mumbling in the TV show).^[2] The film was rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for "moments of risqué humor".

The film currently has a 40% "Rotten" rating amongst collated reviews at Rotten Tomatoes with a 5.3/10 rating, with many critics suggesting that it was over-long and lacking in jokes.^[3]

However, the movie grossed over US$250 million globally on a budget estimated at $18 million.^[4] Despite a mixed critical response and being a sleeper hit, the film has gained a following since it has been released on VHS and DVD.

It was followed by a sequel in 2007 called Mr. Bean's Holiday.^[5]

Soundtrack

The film's original score was by Howard Goodall, who had also written the music for the television series, although the original Mr. Bean theme was not used. Other non-original songs were also featured, in particular The Beatles' "Yesterday" (sung by Wet Wet Wet).

The CD soundtrack also featured a song not used in the film, a cover of the Alice Cooper song "Elected" (from the Billion Dollar Babies album) performed by famed Iron Maiden lead singer and Heavy metal icon Bruce Dickinson which features sound dubs of Mr. Bean making campaign promises. This had been used for Comic Relief in 1992.

Boyzone also released a song for the film, entitled "Picture of You".

List of songs performed by various artists

1. "I Love L.A." – Randy Newman
2. "Picture of You" – Boyzone
3. "I Get Around" – The Beach Boys
4. "Walking on Sunshine" – Katrina and the Waves
5. "Yesterday" – Wet Wet Wet
6. "Running Back for More" – Louise
7. "That Kinda Guy" – Thomas Jules-Stock
8. "Give Me a Little More Time" – Gabrielle
9. "He's a Rebel" – Alisha's Attic
10. "Stuck in the Middle with You" – Susanna Hoffs
11. "Art for Art's Sake" – 10cc
12. "Have Fun, Go Mad" – Blair
13. "Can We Talk" (Pure Radio Mix) – Code Red
14. "Bean Theme" (Mad Pianos) – Howard Goodall
15. "Elected" – Mr. Bean and The Smear Campaign featuring Bruce Dickinson

See Also

• Mr. Bean
• Mr. Bean: The Animated Series
• Mr. Bean's Holiday

References

1. ^ Release information at the Internet Movie Database
2. ^ Review at Allmovie by Karl Williams, URL accessed 29 July 2006
3. ^ Bean at Rotten Tomatoes
4. ^ Box office figures at boxofficemojo.com, URL accessed 29 July 2006
5. ^ Bean 2 at the official Mr. Bean site, URL accessed 29 July 2006

External links

• Official website
• Bean at the Internet Movie Database
• Bean at AllRovi
• Bean at Box Office Mojo
• Bean at Rotten Tomatoes
• Bean at Metacritic