Jacked In Reviews ‘Brian and Charles’ (2022)

Brian and Charles follows the story of Brian (David Earl), a lonesome, wannabe inventor, who resides in the Welsh countryside. Whether it be an acorn handbag or a flying grandfather clock – albeit most of his inventions aren’t very successful – Brian’s imagination knows no bounds.

After longing for a bit of company, Brian takes it upon himself to build himself a robot and much to his surprise, he is successful and Charles (Chris Hayward) is born! With the tummy of a washing machine and a love of cabbages, Charles begins to navigate his way through this newfound life of his. And with his innocent outlook, adorable outfits and childish tantrums, he quickly becomes loveable and one of the best big screen bots.

Despite being filmed through the medium of a mockumentary, this is not the setting for the usual adult comedy stylings of Earl (Derek, Afterlife) – which takes nothing away from this very entertaining family-friendly flick. However, typical for the actor (and co-writer of the film), he always seems to bring humour with an underlying sadness to his roles; Brian is no exception.

Rest assured if you’re looking for something that makes it impossible to wipe that smile off of your face, this movie does a very good job throughout. This endearing, quirky tale is as wholesome as it is original, friendship at its finest, not to mention the laughs and sadness that come with it. A story that not only thrives in its simplicity but doesn’t overstay its welcome, it just says what it needs to say and leaves you wanting more.

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