The Inbetweeners Movie 2

Cert 15. 92 mins.

Comedy/Romance.

Starring Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison, Joe Thomas, Emily Berrington, Freddie Stroma, Belinda Stewart-Wilson, Tamla Kari.

Almost a year has passed since socially inept schoolmates Will (Simon Bird), Jay (James Buckley), Neil (Blake Harrison) and Simon (Joe Thomas) made mischief in Malia and reaffirmed their bonds of friendship.

Will is studying at Bristol University, but has yet to make his mark on campus, Simon is facing bigger problems in Sheffield with a demanding girlfriend, while dim-witted Neil has miraculously landed a job in a bank.

Jay has moved to Australia and sends boastful emails to his pals about his rampant sexual exploits so Will, Simon and Neil pay him a surprise visit.

Predictably, Jay has been spinning a web of little white lies about his dream lifestyle in the sun.

Undaunted, the four friends embark on a road trip, bound for Byron Bay in the company of Will’s prep school classmate Katie (Emily Berrington).

En route, Jay realises how much he misses his ex-girlfriend Jane (Lydia Rose Bewley) and Will competes with a beefed up rival (Freddie Stroma) for Katie’s attention.

The Inbetweeners Movie 2 adheres to a predictable formula of ham-fisted chat-up lines and amorous overtures that lead to toe-curling humiliation.

Thus Will kicks sand in the face of his dignity and self-respect to serenade Katie with an acoustic guitar then endures a generous splash of bodily fluids on a stomach-churning water park ride.

Crammed to bursting with gross-out toilet humour and puerility, Damon Beesley and Iain Morris’ film doesn’t waste an opportunity to whip out a penis joke or labour the lead characters’ suffering.

For 92 minutes, we suffer with them.

A two-disc set comprising The Inbetweeners Movie and the sequel is also available.