Who doesn’t love Ricky Gervais? Apparently, quite a few people because he’s one of the most divisive comedians working today. However, for everyone who fails to see what an absolute genius Gervais is, I compensate for their lack of faith in his extraordinary skills as a performance by being an unabashed, adoring fan. Like many people, I first encountered Gervais through his genius show, The Office, a quirky, hilarious and often cringe-inducing mockumentary that expanded upon the format perfected by one of his idols (and a personal hero of mine), Christopher Guest. Gervais’ character in The Office, David Brent, is one of the most iconic comedic creations of the twenty-first century, and now over a decade later, he enters our lives once again in David Brent: Life on the Road, a slightly flawed but utterly hilarious comedy that is worth looking at for a variety of reasons.

Fifteen years after his appearance on BBC2’s highly-acclaimed documentary series The Office, David Brent is a sales rep for Lavichem. However, he has yet to let go of his dream to be a rock-star, and he decides to take a slight sabbatical from his job (where very few people actually tolerate him, and most outright despise his excessive attitude and dirty sense of humour) to go on tour with his previous band, Foregone Conclusion. He embarks on a tour of Berkshire, hoping to get noticed and become a star and make his mark on music. Of course, this is a Ricky Gervais film we’re talking about, so it is increasingly clear that absolutely nothing is going to go right, and Brent will find himself in compromising positions as he pursues his dream.

Ricky Gervais is a great comedic mind – he has made several incredible television shows and even made some very funny, if not unheralded, films. As divisive as he is, one cannot deny that he is an envelope-pushing, hilarious writer and performer, and to see him return to the character that thrust him into the spotlight years ago was an absolute treat – there is something endearing about an actor returning to a definitive, star-making role after years and forays into higher levels of fame. Perhaps what I found most endearing about David Brent: Life on the Road is how Gervais still makes Brent an idiotic, overly-excessive prat, yet we cannot deny that he is an unbelievably adorable and we refuse to look away. Gervais has genuine affection for this character, and despite him being traditionally unlikable, he is still endearing and unique. Gervais gives everything to this performance and proves that he isn’t only a great comedian, but also a great actor as seen in the occasional moments of genuine emotion present in David Brent: Life on the Road.

To be clear, David Brent: Life on the Road is a film that is centred around Ricky Gervais, but that doesn’t mean that he is the only notable aspect of the film. Ben Bailey Smith plays Don Johnson, Brent’s friend who has aspirations of being a world-famous rapper and embarks on the tour with Brent to try and help his friend, and soon finds out that he actually has real potential as a musical artist after he gets success in a happy accident. Tom Bennett has a small role, and I refuse to believe that we live in a world where he has yet to receive the acclaim he deserves – everything from Christopher Guest’s Family Tree, to Whit Stillman’s Love & Friendship sees Bennett as one of the most magnetically hilarious comedic presences, and I am anxiously awaiting the day that Bennett receives his breakthrough role. His role in David Brent: Life on the Road may be small, but he is outrageously funny in the role.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Ricky Gervais that I have found many people don’t know is that his talents extend far beyond insult comedy – and I find his abilities as a writer and musician to be beyond impressive. The music in David Brent: Life on the Road extend far beyond the mediocre music we’d expect from such a film – because despite being a complete idiot without much talent, the songs Brent performs are actually really good – the soundtrack to this film is pretty solid, and working in conjunction with the likes of Chris Martin, Gervais wrote songs that are far better than the character he is playing deserves – but that’s the point. Perhaps this film’s most surprising moment is when we realize that Brent actually has potential, the only thing stopping him from being a star is the fact that he is a total moron.

David Brent: Life on the Road is a hilarious film. However, for those who find Gervais’ brand of comedy unbearable, it might be hell to sit through this. Yet for anyone (like me) who enjoys Gervais and his ability to make uncomfortable, awkward comedy that causes you to cringe with horror at how much of an idiot the protagonist is, this film is a lot of fun. To be fair, it is fan-service to fans of The Office, and it may not have the sardonic brilliance that the show had, but it certainly is a very funny film and it was great to see Gervais revisiting arguably his greatest creation. It isn’t groundbreaking cinema, and it is pretty forgettable in the landscape of acclaimed comedies, but I still enjoyed it tremendously, and even if it lacks originality to some extent, it is still an absolute riot. It is genuinely touching at some points, has a great sense of humour and there are some very impressive performances, both from Gervais and the supporting cast, with Smith being the absolute standout. More than anything else, this is a film that made me laugh incredibly hard, and for fans of Gervais or The Office, it probably will elicit the same response. A wonderful comedy film from an innovative mind, and true comedic genius who deserves far more praise than his reputation as a cringe-comic would suggest.