The Diary Of A Nobody (2007/Acorn Media DVD)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C-     Episodes: B-

 

 

It is always a gamble to have a person just constantly talking into a camera and not too much else.  That gave some mixed feelings about the feature film version of Shirley Valentine and is something you are more likely to see in a European production than an American one.  U.S. productions are more likely to over-rely on voice-overs.  Character actor Hugh Bonneville does this as Mr. Charles Pooter in a new adaptation of The Diary Of A Nobody.

 

This 2007 version of the 1892 book of witticisms could have gone bad in so many ways, but Bonneville’s performance is compelling and consistent, but director Susanna White keeps the energy going to and the hugely successful Andrew Davies (possibly British TV’s top writer of the moment) pulls off an adaptation of George Grossmith’s novel that does not make it seem dated in the least.  It is a great way to bring a classic to life and is recommended.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is a little soft, but not bad and deserves a Blu-ray release.  There is more production design here than first appears and is a pleasant sit through.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is also fine for a simple mix, nicely recorded (it needs to be with all this dialogue) and clean.  Extras include text bios on Bonneville, George Grossmith and Weedon Grossmith.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo