Withnail and I might be the funniest film I’ve ever seen.

That being said; while it wouldn’t be inaccurate to label it as a comedy, Withnail and I transcends many of the genre’s typical emotional limitations. It’s dark, dry, intellectual, extremely British, and above all else, unpredictable in mood. Watching as our two protagonists pathetically (and drunkenly) stumble through unemployed life in London and beyond is both hilarious and depressing at times - think Fear and Loathing with a slight Shakespearean twist. And on that note, let’s take a moment to appreciate the film’s theatrical art, penned by none other than Ralph Steadman:

It’s possible that some of you might see a bit of yourself in Withnail, the aspiring actor who refuses to accept that his hedonistic lifestyle is the only thing preventing him from pursuing his dreams. Alternatively, some of you might relate better to “I” (never named in the film), who also falls victim to the same trappings but eventually chooses to hold himself accountable. It’s all one big, absurdly comic metaphor for the paths we take in life and their emotional consequences.

The countryside holiday sequence is pure gold, and should be required viewing for comedy screenwriters everywhere. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself incessantly reciting some of the one-liners from this portion of the film. Here are a few of my favorite bits (read in crudest English accent imaginable for full effect):

“There must and shall be aspirin, or I shall die, here, on this f***ing mountainside!”

“I feel like a pig shat in my head.”

And perhaps the most effective: “I demand to have some booze!”

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Bruce Robinson’s Withnail and I is this week’s Friday Night Flick. Brace for laughter, disgust, and - quite possibly - tears as you emotionally grapple with the film’s slow, gradient fade from black comedy to minor-key tragedy. —Jackson Todd