Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

I have never been a fan of Steve Coogan's Alan Partridge persona, and despite what I'd heard about this film I watched it with no great expectations of liking it. How wrong I was.

Short enough not to be burdened with any self indulgent boring bits (I wish Simon Pegg would learn from this!) or outlasting its welcome, this 90 minute movie is one of the funniest films I have seen in ages. Steve Coogan puts in a superb performance as the shallow, self-seeking Alan Partridge, while Colm Meaney is perfect as the sacked DJ who turns hostage taker in revenge against the new bosses of the radio station they both work for. The comedy is genuinely funny, sometimes outrageously so. Not only is Steve Coogan on top form, so are the rest of the cast, including Sean Pertwee, Anna Maxwell Martin, Nigel Lindsay, Felicity Montagu, Simon Greenall, Paul Blackwell, Robert Whitelock and Simon Delaney.

One of the best British comedy films for years.