This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

not horrible nor great

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

I purchased this collection for my better half, who is a big fan. I didn't consider myself a fan. In fact I usually tried to avoid watching it when it was on TV. However for a few evenings when there was nothing on TV we decided to put "The Vicar of Dibley" on. Since I had bought the boxset I thought I'd better watch a few episodes anyway. Anything for a quiet life!To my surprise I found myself really enjoying it. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, even if you can see most of them coming a mile off. The "Vicar of Dibley" is not edgy or groundbreaking. It is from the tradition of broad British humour, full of ridiculous situations, puns and double entendres. It gently pokes fun at the upper classes and the establishment. The characters are one-dimensional and in general don't change at all. However the comedic situations are so well written and acted that even the most cynical will be laughing. Dawn French is brilliant as the trendy but lonely vicar. Despite her smart remarks you cannot help but wish her the best. The supporting cast including Gary Waldhorn and Roger LLoyd Pack are all experienced comic actors and relish their roles. Particular mention goes to Emma Chambers who plays the really, really thick Alice. who gets the most memorable lines. The "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" speech is a particular highlight. The writing is great, creating the standalone world of Dibley, with its own logic and conventions. You could buy this a present for a "real fan" but end up loving it yourself.

I know a lot of people loved this show as it was ranked in the top three of all British comedy shows, however to me the show lacks any substance and the characters are all pale stereotypes from the seventies.Now the premise for the show isn't bad, a liberal woman coming to a backwoods village as the new minister to the shock and disgust of the people of the town could be funny and for some of the early episodes it wasn't terrible. However as a series it went long enough and after two series it really was enough, hell one would have been okay.The major problem though is they make Dawn French too strong and surround her with weak characters who aren't interesting who go from being just boring too being way too eccentric and lacks all meaning. Also they all are bad caricatures and utterly clique that I just role my eyes whenever I tried to watch this show.Also I fail to see what this show is even trying to say are they trying to mock the Church of England for being backwards and not able to change or are they just mocking people who live in small English towns as being near retarded and unable to function in any way shape or form. Or is it that really the show is saying that all though Vicar Granger for her liberal, modern values is just as dumb as the townspeople, either way it doesn't carry my attention and doesn't deserve the acclaim it gets.

It's kind of funny in bits but I can't stomach Richard Curtis's wet dream fantasy about an England that doesn't and never did exist. It seems that many people are comparing it to Father Ted and for obvious reasons. Both centre on the flawed religious leader at the centre of a rural community and their respective half-witted sidekicks. I have to say I'm very much on the Father Ted side. The Vicar of Dibley is for sure far slicker and more professional than Father Ted but it always stops short of saying anything of any substance about the church. At the heart of it The Vicar of Dibley is respectful of the Church of England and the whole myth of English village life that goes with it. The Church of England may not be as obvious a target as the Roman Catholic Church whose evils are plain to see but it has its dark side and questionable business interests just like any religion. Where The Vicar of Dibley is irreverent Father Ted is subversive. There isn't a single moment in the three series of Father Ted where they show an ounce of respect for the church and that is why for me it is superior. However I know others will find The Vicar of Dibley superior for exactly the same reason.If Richard Curtis had written The Vicar of Dibley with the same biting cynicism with which he wrote Blackadder it could have a great comedy.

I will be the first to announce this here. I have a growing list of films that I have seen this year (ranging from the early 1920s to present) that I have ranked among my favorites that I have seen. While most do a list of what was released this year, I go beyond that because I see more than what is just released at the theaters. While I have consistently kept to just cinematic releases for this list, I believe with this series, The Vicar of Dibley, I am going to make an exception. This was, in my opinion, one of the funniest, cleverest, poignant, and original series that I have ever witnessed. While I am a huge fan of Scrubs, Family Guy, and the very underrated Arrested Development, this BBC released series takes the cake. Up until the final episode (which seemed forced and very strange), this series was chock full of some of the best one-liners imaginable on television. Each episode will continue to impress you, continue to make you laugh, and honestly make you dream that you lived in a community like Dibley. It is a feat that many modern, American, television shows fail to accomplish.Big businesses, aka "corporations", are slowly turning the small individual communities into a suburbia frenzy. With shows like Friends and Everyone Loves Raymond, you see this mythological world where no bills need to be paid, everyone looks perfect, and jobs seem like a thing of the past. It creates this false sense of security, this idea that you need to live in a GAP world to be truly happy. Finally, there is a series that gives you hope that without the fancy clothing, without the fast cars, with just the simplicity of your neighbor, you can live a very meaningful life. Perhaps I am searching too deeply into this series, but The Vicar of Dibley gave me this newfound appreciation for the unique in my community. To witness a bunch of literal, bumbling stooges, run a facet of the Church's organization made me laugh constantly. Not only was writer Richard Curtis attempting to bring to view the idea of women at the pulpit, but also I believe that he was also taking a slow stab at local governments and their idiosyncratic ways. After watching this series, I miss the closeness that my small town used to have before the influx of mini-malls, multiplexes, and those horrid payday lenders. I wish I could live in Dibley, be a part of this nurturing community, and finally find piece in a non-commercial induced world.Overall, this is one of the best programs that television has to offer. I suggest to everyone reading this review to run, never walk, to your nearest family-owned store to pick yourself up a copy of The Vicar of Dibley. The unique character development, the insanity of every situation (which bring about buckets of laughter), and the bond that these characters have cannot be seen in any other television series currently out there. The jokes are fresh and smart. There is not an outpouring of physical humor that you can see in nearly every pre-teen film released today. It is witty, charming, and (not to sound too repetitive) THE BEST television shows EVER! I do not think that I am speaking hastily, but honestly. I have never been ready to re-watch a series again as I have this one. So, join me, the Vicar, David & Hugo, Alice, Owen, Frank, and Jim on a wild ride. Should you watch this television series more than once… "No no no no no no no no no no no no no no … yes!" Grade: ***** out of *****