David Brent: Life on the Road

Name: David Brent: Life on the Road
Genre: Comedy, Music
Released: February 10, 2017
Duration: 96 min
Rating: 54

2017

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Mixed or average reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 24 Ratings

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7.2

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7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 24 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Netflix | Release Date (Streaming): February 10, 2017 | Not Rated

Summary: Twelve years ago, David Brent (Ricky Gervais) was a regional manager for a mid-level paper merchants. Now working as a rep selling cleaning (and ladies personal hygiene) products up and down the country, Brent hasn’t given up his dream of becoming a rock star – or more specifically, singer/songwriter for fledgling rock band ‘ForegoneTwelve years ago, David Brent (Ricky Gervais) was a regional manager for a mid-level paper merchants. Now working as a rep selling cleaning (and ladies personal hygiene) products up and down the country, Brent hasn’t given up his dream of becoming a rock star – or more specifically, singer/songwriter for fledgling rock band ‘Foregone Conclusion’. As he assembles a group of mercenary session musicians, a talented sidekick for street cred and an overpriced yet underwhelmed tour manager, he embarks upon a self-financed UK tour.… Expand

Director: Ricky Gervais

Genre(s): Comedy, Music

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 96 min

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Critic Reviews

The Telegraph Robbie Collin

Aug 11, 2016

Happily, what’s in no short supply is the same mix of uproarious failure and sledgehammer pathos that Brent at his best was always all about. Read full review

The Playlist Will Ashton

Feb 15, 2017

Both Brent and Gervais give this “one last push” all the love, commitment, determination and fool-hearted dedication they can muster, and it’s good that at least one can come out on top even while the other clings to the bottom. Read full review

Charles Gant

Aug 11, 2016

While Gervais returns often to the same comedic well, he’s adept at transforming simple miscues into horrific spirals of embarrassment. Read full review

Time Out London Tom Huddleston

Aug 15, 2016

Being stuck in a cinema with David Brent for 96 minutes can be trying (the lazy ending doesn’t help). But when Gervais is on an improvisational roll, Brent digging himself deeper and deeper into some awful pit of social awkwardness, we can’t help but remember why we love to hate them both. Read full review

Paul Bradshaw

Dec 20, 2016

As a comedy creation, David Brent is still a masterwork, and the film works best when the pathos hits as hard as the punchlines. But Life on the Road should probably be the leaving party we all thought had been thrown a few times already. Read full review

Empire Jimi Famurewa

Aug 15, 2016

Ricky Gervais very much plays the hits in an undercooked but occasionally funny big screen revival that suffers from a crippling case of de ja vu. Brent’s last goodbye? You’d hope so. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Matt Zoller Seitz

Feb 10, 2017

The film is quite repetitive, essentially a very long sketch, and offers little in the way of character development for supporting players. In contrast to the original "The Office," everyone else is there mainly to stare in shock at David as he offends people or does something stupid. Read full review

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User Reviews

92ross

Sep 6, 2021

A masterpiece. Ricky Gervais makes me laugh so hard I cry. A lot of people won't love this or even like it and I feel genuinely sorry for them.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Tokyochuchu

Feb 13, 2017

David Brent: Life on the Road was a ton of silly fun. Gervais is still perfect as awkward idiot David Brent and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to enjoy. The climax is a little contrived and can't quite deliver the same payoff as the Christmas specials it so obviously apes. ButDavid Brent: Life on the Road was a ton of silly fun. Gervais is still perfect as awkward idiot David Brent and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to enjoy. The climax is a little contrived and can't quite deliver the same payoff as the Christmas specials it so obviously apes. But this is still a massive amount of fun for fans of The Office.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Voodoo123

Apr 4, 2023

+Great songs
+Excellent cast
+Decent plot -/+ depressing tone throughout For a comedy based on following an underdogs impossible dream of making it in the music industry, it's surprisingly good. Avoiding most possible cheesy feel good movie plot tropes, it instead takes the path of utter+Great songs
+Excellent cast
+Decent plot
-/+ depressing tone throughout

For a comedy based on following an underdogs impossible dream of making it in the music industry, it's surprisingly good. Avoiding most possible cheesy feel good movie plot tropes, it instead takes the path of utter cringe and depression displaying the vulnerability of David's man child persona in the most awkward ways. It was very entertaining! And the songs are easily as good as tenacious d etc. Fantastic.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

drlowdon

Feb 22, 2017

I personally think the original UK version of The Office is a masterpiece and to this day it is still arguably the best sit-com ever produced. When I heard that Ricky Gervais was planning to bring back David Brent I was worried it would spoil the legacy of one of comedies most memorableI personally think the original UK version of The Office is a masterpiece and to this day it is still arguably the best sit-com ever produced. When I heard that Ricky Gervais was planning to bring back David Brent I was worried it would spoil the legacy of one of comedies most memorable characters. Fortunately it isn't as bad as I feared it might be but, much like Life's Too Short and (the awful) Derek, everything is so heavy handed that the emotional pay-offs it so desperately hopes for just aren't earned. Where is the subtlety that made the final scenes of The Office, and to some degree Extras, so great?

There are two things that do save Life on the Road to some degree. The first, and most important, Gervais's portrayal of Brent. The way he slips into the character so naturally does help you to overlook much of the mediocre writing and still find a good few laughs. The second is the fact that the songs, despite the (intentional) terrible lyrics, are actually quite catchy.

In the end Life on the Road is probably a movie that wasn't really needed but it could have been a lot worse.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

amheretojudge

Feb 16, 2018

that's what i do..

David Brent: Life On The Road The character has a lot to offer since it just doesn't pick up where it was left off, Ricky Gervais accounts in those 15 years on screen by not only writing but playing it more mature and strong like never before. David Brent: Life On Thethat's what i do..

David Brent: Life On The Road

The character has a lot to offer since it just doesn't pick up where it was left off, Ricky Gervais accounts in those 15 years on screen by not only writing but playing it more mature and strong like never before. David Brent: Life On The Road is like a montage to the character but projecting in the most non-ordinary way and checks off each and every tale emerging from his mind. Ricky Gervais whispers innocence despite of whatever he may be speaking about and keeps it clean and crystal clear when it comes to act out pain and intense sequences. David Brent: Life On The Road is depressing, cruel and makes you wanna root and hope betterment for the protagonist despite of its eerie deeds making it more human than ever and also in the end Ricky waves to the character offering hope and goodwill.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

KaptenVideo

Sep 2, 2017

David Brent, the (anti)hero of BBC’s legendary comedy series „The Office“ is back again, with a proper feature-length movie for the first time, distributed in most of the world as Netflix Original.
It’s written and directed by Ricky Gervais who pulls no punches humiliating his famousDavid Brent, the (anti)hero of BBC’s legendary comedy series „The Office“ is back again, with a proper feature-length movie for the first time, distributed in most of the world as Netflix Original.
It’s written and directed by Ricky Gervais who pulls no punches humiliating his famous character further, who's still on his road to fame as a singer.
Gervais has also written and performed a bunch of songs for Brent, and although they are supposed to be horrible (aren’t they?), I actually liked all of them. Some are pretty memorable even outside the context of the movie.
But man oh man, is this a difficult watch or what, even if you are used to (British) comedies which always try to mete out as much disgrace to their main characters as possible.
Of course, Gervais has always been very fond of that but „Life on the Road“ feels like new high or something – or new low if you please.
Watching it gets as difficult as comedies can be… probably. Brent’s life is so painfully awkward that you just gotta feel for the poor guy. At the same time, Gervais has figured out exactly how to make him so untolerable and socially graceless that you wouldn’t want to be in the same room with someone like Brent, especially in work environment.
I know creating this kind of tension is the whole point here, but it just depressed the hell out of me. In its own right, it is well done but hardly recommendable for anybody outside the Gervais die-hard fans circle.
If you would like to know what Brent did after „The Office“ and how did he fare as a rock star, then you’ll just have to check this out. For others, it may be interesting as (yet another) excursion into the mind of acerbic comedy mastermind Ricky Gervais. Just prepared that you’ll feel low afterwards.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Ralfbergs

Feb 14, 2017

I don't know, the only thing funny here were the songs, but actual jokes in the movie were so few. Maybe if you were a big Office UK fan, then it will be great for you, but I think this movie was pretty unfunny as a whole and I actually really like Gervais and expected lots of fun here.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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