'Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie' Review: Eddy and Patsy Make a Strong, Champagne-Swilling Comeback

Blasting in with a flood of Bolly (Bollinger, their champagne of choice) nearly powerful and silly enough to blow away the post-Brexit blues, Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley give their all to “Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie” and drag it bitching and boozing over the fine line between ropey TV transfer and riotous night out.

The celebrity cameos alone should power it to some kind of kitsch success but there are enough funny jokes and quotable moments from Edina (Saunders) and Patsy (Lumley) that give it that botox injection to lift it well clear of recent fashionista film duds such as “Sex and the City 2” and “Zoolander 2.”

I do wonder, if anyone unfamiliar with the long-running BBC TV comedy (which premiered in 1992) walking into the movie theatre would they have a clue about what is going on? Perhaps wisely, the filmmakers haven’t haven’t bothered to improve on the overall sketchiness of the original TV show characters, but they do keep some of the recurring figures from it, such as June Whitfield as Eddy’s mother, Jane Horrocks as her PA Bubble (stealing practically every scene she’s in) and Julia Sawalha as disapproving daughter Saffy, now a mother herself, to 13-year-old Lola (newcomer Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness).

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But it’s the enduring friendship between the two lead characters that benefits most from the big screen crossover, the 91 minutes running time even allowing them to develop moments of tenderness amid the champagne swilling, cigarette smoking and pill popping.

The plot concerns Eddy and Patsy having to flee London after thinking they’ve killed Kate Moss (conveniently played by Kate Moss) at a launch party, knocking the supermodel into the Thames and provoking a period of national mourning. One of the funniest gags sees the BBC’s serious Middle East reporter Orla Guerin delivering the news of the model’s demise from the impromptu riverside shrine consisting of piles Hunter wellies and bottles of Sauvignon Blanc.

Edina and Patsy flit on a budget airline to the south of France (“I can’t redecorate my way out of this one, sweetie”) and hole up in the Hotel Martinez in Cannes, seeking a rich sugar daddy for the sexually-voracious Patsy.

This isn’t a comedy too shy to try the line: “They’ll sniff me up the Croisette,” and get away with it. Indeed, it is probably one of the best “Carry On movies” never made, powered by two tearaway women unashamed of themselves or their behavior.

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Although these women can feel the world they once ruled slipping away, you have to admire the way they pick themselves up — and ultimately we cheer their blissful disregard for being out of time. “I’ve been trollied on Twitter,” mumbles Edina, proudly.

With its drag queens and farcical police, its wealth and glamour, there are nods to 1960s capers along with “Some Like It Hot.” Lumley in particular excels in the later scenes in Cap Ferrat, when she dons a David Niven moustache to woo a rich woman, after the Riviera men having proved themselves too bloated and ridiculous even for Patsy.

While Edina spends much of the film trying to prove she can walk in outlandish gold stilettos without wobbling, so the film lurches from one set piece to another without much finesse but still without spilling its drink either. While it teeters into silliness — this is, after all, one of those breathless gag-a-thons where even the briefest lull needs a sip of bubbly keep the pep up — Saunders and Lumley are so wholehearted and honest in their sheer comic gusto that the viewer surrenders and remains firmly by their side.

So, the cameos? Joan Collins, Moss, Jerry Hall, Jon Hamm, Emma “Baby Spice” Bunton, Lulu, Barry Humphries, Jean Paul Gaultier just to name a few. Many others, though shrewdly-positioned for maximum TV and social media exposure, are as fleeting as their own celebrity status will be.

Rebel Wilson probably wins this little on-the-side parlor game of the cameo competition, playing the budget air stewardess, a self-styled DNB — “do nothing bitch” — who eventually faces off with Patsy in another of the film’s best jokes, one probably inspired by a legendary Moss airplane story.

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Director Mandie Fletcher, a veteran of BBC TV comedy including “Blackadder,” “Ab Fab” and “Only Fools and Horses,” keeps the energy high and the pop-up appearances as light as possible. Tumbleweed moments are mercifully few which, considering the flimsiness of the premise and the woodenness of some of the contributors, is quite an achievement.

While Lumley is clearly the best actor in sight — her twisted, lemony comedy face is a marvel — in the end, the double-act carries the day, providing much-needed sunshine and laughter for the benighted and bedraggled people of Britain. Edina and Patsy are movie stars now, darlings, cementing their place as national treasures — hell, they could run for Parliament right now and romp home. I wish they would.

50 Actresses Over 50 Who Still Rule Hollywood (Photos)

These strong women have aged gracefully — while still governing Hollywood.
Nicole Kidman (birthdate: 06/20/67)

The Australian Oscar winner has kept busy with blockbusters ("Aquaman"), award-winning indies ("Boy Erased") and TV hits like HBO's "Big Little Lies" and "The Undoing."
Helena Bonham Carter (birthdate: 05/26/66)

After starring in 2015's "Cinderella," this Oscar nominee reprised a different Disney role as the Red Queen in "Alice Through the Looking Glass." And then won acclaim on Netflix's "The Crown."
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Yuh-Jung Youn (birthdate: 06/19/47)

South Korean actress Yuh-Jung Youn has graced Korean screens for decades and recently brought her talents to the U.S. in "Minari," earning her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2021.
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Halle Berry (birthdate: 08/14/66)

Aside from the fact that she's the only black woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress, she recently starred in "X-Men: Days of Future Past," "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum" and two movies in the "Kingsman" series.
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Salma Hayek (birthdate: 09/02/66)

Salma Hayek has been a household name since forever and it's no wonder -- she's had notable movie roles "Frida," "Desperado," and "Wild Wild West."
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Viola Davis (birthdate: 08/11/65)

An accomplished SAG and Emmy winner, Davis starred in ABC’s hit series "How to Get Away With Murder" and the two "Suicide Squad" movies (including a 2021 sequel). She also starred in the 2020 drama "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."
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Gong Li (birthdate: 12/31/65)

After making her American film debut in 2006's "Miami Vice," Li helped bring Chinese cinema to Europe and the U.S.
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Sarah Jessica Parker (birthdate: 03/25/65)

Following the enormous success of her breakout series "Sex and the City," Jessica Parker starred in a string of romantic comedies. She starred in HBO's comedy "Divorce."
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Diane Lane (birthdate: 01/22/65)

The Oscar nominee has been busy, voicing the mother in Pixar's "Inside Out," playing Cleo Trumbo in "Trumbo," and Martha Kent in 2013's "Man of Steel" and 2016's "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice." She starred opposite Kevin Costner in 2020's "Let Him Go."
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Vivica A. Fox (birthdate: 07/30/64)

Since the '80s, Fox has made a name for herself in both film and TV, including appearances in Fox's "Empire," "Independence Day: Resurgence" and Lifetime's series of "Wrong" movies.
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Marisa Tomei (birthdate: 12/04/64)

The Oscar-winning Tomei maintains a tireless work ethic, playing roles in "The Big Short," "Captain America: Civil War," and the Tom Holland "Spider-Man" movies.
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Queen Latifah (birthdate: 03/19/1970)

The rapper turned actress and producer stars in CBS' hit reboot of "The Equalizer."
Taraji P. Henson (birthdate: 09/11/70)

Taraji broke out in "Baby Boy," and has garnered recognition for her roles in "Hustle and Flow" and 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." She most recently starred in "Hidden Figures" and rocked everybody's world as Cookie on "Empire."

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Monica Bellucci (birthdate: 09/30/64)

After turning heads in "The Passion of the Christ" and two of the three "Matrix" films, the Italian actress returned to the silver screen as a Bond girl in 2015's "Spectre." And then starred as Italian photographer Tina Modotti in the miniseries "Radical Eye."
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Lucy Liu (birthdate: 12/02/68)

The actress broke out in the late-'90s series "Ally McBeal," then starred in films like "Charlie's Angels" and "Kill Bill." In 2019, she wrapped a long run playing Watson in CBS' Sherlock Holmes series "Elementary."
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Sandra Bullock (birthdate: 07/26/64)

"The Blind Side" star gained another Oscar nom for 2013's "Gravity" and stayed busy with 2018 hits like "Ocean's Eight" and "Bird Box."
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Laura Linney (birthdate: 02/05/64)

This three-time Oscar and Tony nominee is working hard, with big roles in shows like "Ozark," "Tales of the City" and Viggo Mortensen's film "Falling."
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Octavia Spencer (birthdate: 05/25/70)

Octavia Spencer had her big break with her role in "The Help" in 2011 -- and she won an Oscar for it. Since, she's starred in "Fruitvale Station," "Hidden Figures," and "Ma."
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Ming-Na Wen (birthdate: 11/20/63)

In addition to being the enchanting voice of the heroine in Disney's "Mulan," Wen is known for her roles on "Stargate Universe," Disney+'s "The Mandalorian" and ABC's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."
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Lisa Kudrow (birthdate: 07/30/63)

Since her days as a "Friends" leading lady, Kudrow has been active in film and TV, playing characters in Netflix’s "BoJack Horseman," "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising," the 2019 indie hit "Booksmart" and the Netflix comedy "Space Force."
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Helen Hunt (birthdate: 06/15/63)

The "As Good As It Gets" actress drew acclaim in 2012 for her role in Sundance favorite "The Sessions" and recently starred in the sitcom reboot "Mad About You."
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Vanessa Williams (birthdate: 03/18/63)

Even after the end of ABC's "Ugly Betty" and the short-lived "666 Park Avenue," Williams has kept working with projects like "Daytime Divas" and Justin Simien's 2020 film "Bad Hair."
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Demi Moore (birthdate: 11/11/62)

While doing charity work for her anti-sex-trafficking foundation Thorn, Moore has returned to the screen in TV projects like "Empire," "Animals." and "Brave New World."
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Jodie Foster (birthdate: 11/19/62)

After appearing in "Elysium" and "Carnage," the Oscar-winning actress took a break from acting and returned to directing with 2016's "Money Monster" starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts and an episode of "Black Mirror." She then appeared in front of the camera in 2020's "Prisoner 760."
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Jennifer Jason Leigh (birthdate: 02/05/62)

With a career that spans four decades, Jason Leigh earned an Oscar nomination for 2015's "The Hateful Eight," then starred in shows like "Twin Peaks," "Patrick Melrose" and "Atypical" as well as movies like 2020's "The Woman in the Window."
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus (birthdate: 01/13/61)

Since she wrapped her seventh and last season of HBO’s "Veep," the actress-comedian starred in the 2020 Will Ferrell romantic drama "Downhill."
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Jane Lynch (birthdate: 07/14/60)

Despite the 2016 cancellation of her short-lived sitcom "Angel from Hell," Lynch has made strides in the past few years, hosting NBC's "Hollywood Game Night" and earning Emmy attention for "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."
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Julianne Moore (birthdate: 12/03/60)

Having appeared in both mainstream and art-house films, Moore received acclaim for her Oscar-winning performance in "Still Alice." She followed with showy roles in 2020's "The Woman in the Window" and Julie Taymor's "The Glorias."
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Lorraine Toussaint (birthdate: 04/04/60)

Starting her career in theater before transitioning into film and TV, Toussaint has appeared in Ava DuVernay's "Selma" and the short-lived Fox series "Forever." She's also received praise for her work as Vee in Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black" and series like "Into the Badlands" and "The Village."
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Emma Thompson (birthdate: 04/15/59)

One of Hollywood and Britain's most accomplished performers, Thompson appeared in 2017's "Beauty and the Beast," Mindy Kaling's "Late Night" in 2019 and 2021's "Cruella."
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Jamie Lee Curtis (birthdate: 11/22/58)

An actress known for her roles in horror films and the 2003 comedy "Freaky Friday," Lee Curtis has lately appeared on screen in 2018's "Halloween" reboot and 2019's "Knives Out."
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Angela Bassett (birthdate: 08/16/58)

Though she's known primarily for her film roles, including her turn in Spike Lee's 2016 drama "Chi-Raq" and 2018's "Black Panther," Bassett is a TV regular, particularly in FX's anthology series "American Horror Story" and "9-1-1."
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Michelle Pfeiffer (birthdate: 04/29/58)

The three-time Academy Award nominee's recent film work includes the "Ant-Man" series, "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" and 2020's "French Exit."
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Sharon Stone (birthdate: 03/10/58)

The "Basic Instinct" actress has appeared in James Franco's "The Disaster Artist" and the TV series "Ratched" and "The New Pope."
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Ellen DeGeneres (birthdate: 01/26/58)

In addition to being a TV personality, a two-time Oscar host and an LGBTQ advocate, DeGeneres found time to reprise her role as the forgetful blue tang in Pixar's 2016 hit "Finding Dory," the sequel to 2003's "Finding Nemo."
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Holly Hunter (birthdate: 03/20/58)

The Georgia-born Oscar winner returned to film in 2012 after a seven-year hiatus, and has since had roles in "The Big Sick," "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice," and TV shows like "Here and Now" and "Succession."
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Andie MacDowell (birthdate: 04/21/58)

Known for her early '90s roles in "Sex, Lies, & Videotape," "Groundhog Day," and "Four Weddings and a Funeral," MacDowell has appeared in recent films like "Only the Brave" and 2019's "Ready or Not."
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Joan Allen (birthdate: 08/20/56)

The three-time Academy Award nominee appeared in 2015's acclaimed "Room" and ABC's mystery melodrama "The Family" as well as Apple TV+'s "Lisey's Story."
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Geena Davis (birthdate: 01/21/56)

The "Thelma and Louise" actress appeared in "GLOW," 2017's "Marjorie Prime" and Tate Taylor's 2020 drama "Ava."
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Rene Russo (birthdate: 02/17/54)

Russo, a Vogue model-turned-BAFTA nominated actress, juggled lots of roles in recent movies, including Marvel's "Thor," the neo-noir thriller "Nightcrawler" the Nancy Meyers comedy "The Intern" and 2019's "Velvet Buzzsaw."
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Oprah Winfrey (birthdate: January 9, 1954)

The actress and producer has kept busy since ending her long-running daytime talk show, overseeing her OWN network and appearing in series like "Greenleaf" and movies such as "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" and "A Wrinkle in Time."
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Kim Basinger (birthdate: 12/08/53)

The Golden Globe and SAG-winning actress starred in the 2016 crime comedy caper "The Nice Guys" and had a big role in the last two "Fifty Shades" movies.
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Mary Steenburgen (birthdate: 02/08/53)

A well-known character actress, Steenburgen has appeared in several TV shows (Fox’s "The Last Man on Earth," Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black") and films ("Song One," "A Walk in the Woods"). She starred in the 2016 drama "The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" and 2018's "Book Club."
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Jane Seymour (birthdate: 02/15/51)

Since her breakthrough role in 1973’s “Live and Let Die,” Seymour has kept busy in projects like the 2016 spoof movie "Fifty Shades of Black" and the CW’s "Jane the Virgin."
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Meryl Streep (birthdate: 06/22/49)

One of the most recognized and active women working in Hollywood today, Streep is keeping her acclaimed acting streak alive. Recent projects include "The Post," "Little Women," Netflix's "The Prom" and HBO's "Big Little Lies."
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Sigourney Weaver (birthdate: 10/08/49)

The "Ghostbusters" alum has been in 12 movies since 2010, ranging from "Chappie" to "The Cabin in the Woods." She had a cameo in 2016's female-led remake of "Ghostbusters" and stars in James Cameron's upcoming "Avatar" sequels.
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Jessica Lange (birthdate: 04/20/49)

A multiple Oscar, Golden Globe, and SAG winner, Lange has been drawing acclaim since the '80s, especially for her performance in FX’s "American Horror Story."
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Ivonne Coll (birthdate: 06/18/47)

Since her breakout debut in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather Part II," Coll has had recurring TV roles in shows like "Switched at Birth," "Glee" and "Teen Wolf." She starred as Alba Villanueva in the CW's "Jane the Virgin."
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Glenn Close (birthdate: 03/19/47)

The "Fatal Attraction" star garnered praise and an Oscar nomination for 2017's "The Wife" and has clocked roles in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies as well as 2020's "Hillbilly Elegy."
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Helen Mirren (birthdate: 07/26/45)

The Oscar winner is another one of Hollywood's biggest and most active actresses, including memorable turns in recent movies like the "Red" and "Fast & Furious" series as well as shows like "Catherine the Great."
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