David Brent: Life on the Road

"Following an excellent start and indifferent middle, the last act proves ruinously sentimental, as Brent’s band-mates inexplicably overcome their antipathy towards him to rally round for an unearned happy ending. It’s as if the movie, as well as the character, is so desperate to be liked it can’t help but scupper itself. Pity, because for 45 minutes there this was looking like the comeback of the year."

"Ricky Gervais' most enduring creation hits the road for one last attempt at cracking showbiz, in a funny if meandering big-screen adventure."

"Brent's big comeback won't disappoint fans, but would've worked fine as another Christmas special. In 2004."

"If nothing else, this is a reminder of what a beautifully realised and horribly relatable a character David Brent is. We all know someone a bit like this man."

"There were braver things that Gervais could have done with the character. The bravest being leaving him where he was."

"With four hearty laughs in the first two minutes, [this] starts with promise and goes on to be an immensely satisfying, sometimes uncomfortable, return to form."

"...you're in for an hour-and-a-half of Brent at his best."

"Ricky Gervais very much plays the hits in an undercooked but occasionally funny big screen revival that suffers from a crippling case of de ja vu. Brent's last goodbye? You'd hope so."