BEAN
The rather flimsy plot centers around an extremely eccentric guard at the London Art Gallery, Mr. Bean, who is sent on a trip to the U.S. to lecture at the unveiling of Whistler's Mother at an L.A. gallery. The gallery's curator, played by Chicago Hope veteran Peter MacNicol, invites the distinguished scholar to stay with him, hoping it to be a learning experience for his family. From there it's pretty predictable, with Bean getting into one mess after another and continually scrambling to cover his tracks. Although the original TV character never speaks, the producers were forced to give Atkinson a few lines here, which results in a kind of uncomfortable juxtaposition of styles. For most of the film, Bean is a sort of modern-day Chaplin, relying completely on physical comedy and the occasional grunt. When he delivers his long-awaited speech, competent if a bit halting, one wonders why he hasn't spoken up before. The film appears to be of very little substance until near the end, where it redeems itself considerably. It's worth a few laughs, if you don't think too much. ***