Staggered (film)

Staggered is a 1994 British romantic comedy film starring and directed by Martin Clunes in his directorial debut. It follows the misfortune of Neil (Clunes), a bridegroom trying to get back to his intended bride after a stag night.

Staggered
Directed by	Martin Clunes
Written by	Paul Alexander Simon Braithwaite
Produced by	Philippa Braithwaite
Starring	Martin Clunes Michael Praed Sarah Winman Anna Chancellor
Cinematography	Simon Kossoff
Edited by	Peter Delfgou
Music by	Peter Brewis
Production company	Big Deal Pictures
Distributed by	A Big Deal Productions
Release date	8 July 1994 (1994-07-08)
Running time	95 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	£650,000[1]

Plot

After his stag night, Neil Price wakes up naked on a remote Scottish island. The film follows his journey back towards his wedding, and the various characters and obstacles he encounters en route. It turns out that Neil's best friend Gary Bicknell spiked his drink and dumped him on the Isle of Barra^[2] to enable him to make his own move on Hilary and her well-to-do family.^[3]

Cast

• Martin Clunes as Neil Price
• Michael Praed as Gary Bicknell
• Michele Winstanley as Tina
• Kate Byers as Jackie
• Sarah Winman as Hilary
• David Kossoff as Elderly Man
• Helena McCarthy as Elderly Woman
• Sylvia Syms as Margaret
• Sion Tudor Owen as Morris
• Virginia McKenna as Flora
• Jake D'Arcy as Pilot
• John Forgeham as Inspector Lubbock^[4]
• Dan Travers as Policeman
• Steve Sweeney as Nutter
• Dermot Crowley as Dr. Barnet
• Anna Chancellor as Carmen Svennipeg
• Bill Gavin as Old Man
• Griff Rhys Jones as Graham
• Julia Deakin as Brenda
• Annette Ekblom as Caroline
• Desmond McNamara as Traffic Policeman
• George Rossi as Waiter
• Paul Brightwell as Longcoat
• Ian Michie as Milkman
• Michael Medwin as Hilary's father
• Neil Morrissey as Jeff the Videographer
• Richard Syms as Vicar
• Gary Murphy as Mr. Elvis
• Amanda Hodge as Mrs. Elvis
• Abigail Hodge as Baby Elvis

Production

The film was Clunes' directorial debut. He said "I was asked, and it's not the sort of thing you say no to, really".^[5] It was shot in Barra, Western Isles, Scotland, Kent, London, and Newcastle upon Tyne England in 42 days on 24 May and 5 July 1993.

Reception

Time Out said that the film was a "low-budget farce has a frustrating tendency to set up promising situations only to squander them" but that the project was "amusing and eventful, none the less".^[6] The review in Variety had a similar take, although it singled out Chancellor's character, Carmen, as being the best in the film describing her as having "more dark currents than a buttered bun."^[7]

See also

• Dancing Queen (1993 film), a British short TV comedy film from the previous year (1993) which also follows the misfortune of a bridegroom trying to get back to his intended bride after a stag night, in which also Martin Clunes co-starred.

References

1. "UK/US Production". Screen International. 15 October 1993. p. 25.
2. "Staggered – Scotland the Movie Location Guide". www.scotlandthemovie.com. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
3. "Staggered (Mad Wedding) (1994)". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
4. "Staggered (1994)". BFI. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
5. Morrison, Alan (1 July 1994). "Bachelor Party". The List. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
6. "Staggered". Time Out London. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
7. Elley, Derek (18 July 1994). "Staggered". variety.com. Retrieved 24 November 2019.

External links

• Staggered at IMDb
• Staggered at Rotten Tomatoes