Alan Partridge (2013) - Declan Lowney

Alan Partridge, a once proud national television broadcaster, now works at a small radio station as a radio personality for the mid-morning broadcast.  When the radio station is bought out by new management, everyone, including Alan, fears their jobs could be at risk.  This leads to the sacking of one of the DJs, who decides to hold the station hostage with Alan at the center of a siege, being the only person the disgruntled man can trust.  Declan Lawney's Alan Patridge is a fun comedy that does a good job at balancing its tone, delivering both comedy and drama that work more so than not.  Alan Partridge is a selfish, attention-seeking protagonist that can be hard to root for at times, and the films knows this, juxtaposing dramatic tension and heartfelt moments with the pure, vapid narcissim that personifies Alan's character.  The film narrowly walks this line with ease, delivering quick-witted humor and heartfelt moments, centered around the disgruntled DJ,  that shouldn't work as well together as they do..  Coogan's performance is partly responsible for this, with his ability to create a comedic character full of of fear, envy, and ego.  Declan Lowney's Alan Partridge is a well-paced, well-written, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt, a combination that should appeal to both newcomers and fans of the character.

Coogan is an old hand at the comedy of fear, envy, and bruised egotism, and the movie is packed with clever gags."

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