I'm not a huge fan of the stand-up movie, though, since this featured Gervais, I was rather certain it'd be something a bit different, and it was. Gervais presents this performance as a lecture on animals, and, in a sense, it is, though, a lecture full of jokes, side tracks, and stories. Gervais has a very comfortable style, he seems more of a friendly story teller onstage, and less a comic putting on a show. It quickly becomes apparent that more of David Brent's character comes from Gervais than he'd most likely want to admit, in both his verbal and non-verbal communication methods. Gervais lines up a few animal gags, and some surprisingly amusing bible humor, but the most satisfying part of his show is the way he delves into his own personal history, and though using historical first-person narratives is nothing new in the realm of comedy, these stories resonate in a way Gervais' other material may not, and while it's not always the funniest material, it's usually some of the most enjoyable. Gervais' legacy likely won't be buttressed by this dvd, but it's also nice to see that Gervais is able to be quite funny outside of The Office and his role as David Brent. Unfortunately, this dvd is only available as a British release, but perhaps, for those of you without the means to enjoy it, Animals will find its way into the American market sooner than later.
| Ricky Gervais Live Animals at Amazon |
