Clair de Lune (1995 TV Movie) User Reviews

Clair de Lune

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 22 December 2022]

Another example of how the Rik Mayall Presents strand allowed him to showcase his more serious side.

Mayall is certainly restrained as Toby. A single parent, a former teacher now a law student and a part time minicab driver to make ends meet.

One night Toby gives a distraught Clair (Serena Scott Thomas) a lift who seems she has just had a break up or an argument.

The next night Toby is called for a lucrative pick up. Only for the house where he collects a woman from, blows up. The woman turns out to be Clair.

On the back seat is Annie, his daughter who is going to celebrate her birthday. Only for Toby is now forcible on the run with Claire.

In hot pursuit is Terry (Mark Frankel) her unhinged boyfriend.

Clair de Lune is a dark comedy thriller. In the style of John Landis's Into the Night. It is a little bit too low budget and lacks real menace.

Be careful who you give a lift home to!

[Rabical-91 · 10/10 · 22 May 2018]

Another prime example of Rik's fine ability to take on a non-manic comedy role. Here he played widow and devoted father Toby who supports his only daughter Annie with the wages he brings in as a mini-cab driver. This was the final episode of 'Rik Mayall Presents'. It was well received but only lasted two seasons before Rik returned to the violent slapstick of 'Bottom'.

Toby, one night whilst driving home, comes across a beautiful female walking along the street, clearly distressed. This is Claire. He gallantly offers to take her home free of charge, an offer which she reluctantly accepts. He soon learns that she is not all she seems. She is on the run from her dangerous gangster of a boyfriend, who is hot on her tail.

Claire, realising she is a walking time bomb, latches herself onto Toby. Claire bonds with Toby's daughter Annie and soon grows fond of Toby too, so all in all begins a romance fraught with danger....

Serena Scott Thomas, one of the hottest women on television, has an excellent rapport with Mayall, whose restrained performance earns him great credit. Leonie Sooke, who plays Annie, is annoying though the scene where she boots Claire's estranged lover in the balls after being cornered by him is hilarious. Future stand-up comedian Lee Evans has a memorable role as Toby's nervous boss Pete.

It's a pity 'Rik Mayall Presents' did not carry on into a third run. It would have been fascinating to be seen what Rik could have done next.

Funniest bit- Annie, as I said previously, booting Clare's ex-boyfriend in the balls!

It's Rik in a straight role! ... but then it's not really Rik, is it?

[thefelinemenace · 5/10 · 5 February 2005]

Rik Mayall is completely out of character in this 1995 effort, playing a widowed father who drives a taxi to support himself while finishing a law degree. The film is a short drama, relatively tasteful and not at all the sort of tawdry comedy we're accustomed to seeing Rik in; but nonetheless he maintains his role quite well, proving that he can in fact hold his own as the "straight" man.

Taxi-driving Toby, as fate will have it, crosses paths late one night with a mysterious blonde woman named Clair, who is walking alone beside the road. A chivalric offer of a lift subsequently embroils Toby in Clair's disastrous web of emotional and (we learn) criminal problems. It becomes plain that the terse, chain-smoking and disturbed Clair would have no place in Toby's life at the best of times; but tonight Toby faces an additional problem in that he has promised his daughter Annie that he will take her on a surprise expedition for her birthday in the morning.

Clair's crazed ex-boyfriend, Toby's well-meaning but vapid next-door neighbour, and the blithe daughter Annie (who has some alarming ideas about courtship) all add slightly farcical elements to the ensuing events, but not without a little drama - and even some empathy where it's needed.

While "Clair de Lune" is a pleasant enough film in total, it must be said that unless you are a dedicated fan of Rick (or are particularly interested in seeing one of Britain's greatest comedians playing a rare straight role), this film could be safely missed. A pedestrian storyline, a low budget and a tooth-achingly bad synthesised soundtrack all detract from this film, and considering the atypical character that Rik Mayall plays, it all might prove too much for those who are looking for classic Rik puerility.