Withnail and I (Criterion) 4K UHD 04/25 Blu-ray (Rental)

The ultimate cult British comedy, Bruce Robinson’s semi-autobiographical cinematic bender is a feast of delectably florid dialogue delivered with deadpan relish by stars Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann as, respectively, Withnail and “I,” a pair of perpetually soused, unemployed actors in 1960s London who, desperate to escape their nightmarishly grimy flat, embark on a hilariously misbegotten country getaway beset by menacing locals, bare cupboards, and a randy uncle—all of which they may be able to withstand as long as they don’t run out of alcohol. While Robinson’s dazzling script yields quotable moments galore, it’s the film’s bittersweet evocation of a friendship gradually unraveling that gives this beloved end-of-youth tale its lasting poignancy. DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES New 4K digital restoration, supervised by director of photography Peter Hannan, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features Two audio commentaries, one from 2020 featuring director Bruce Robinson, and the other from 2001 featuring actors Ralph Brown and Paul McGann New short program featuring Robinson and actor Richard E. Grant Withnail and Us (1999), a documentary on the making of the film British Film Institute Q&A from 2017 with Robinson and Grant Stills gallery featuring photographs by artist Ralph Steadman Trailer English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing PLUS: An essay by critic David Cairns