David Brent: Life On The Road’ – Film Review Ricky Gervais returns as the world's worst boss in this hilarious and heart-warming comedy

You might be wondering why Ricky Gervais would dig up his most beloved character, David Brent, from the grave of The Office. The cringe-worthy office manager, who made Gervais a comedy superstar in 2001, is a hard act to follow. After his recent duds, does Gervais still have what it takes?

The answer is a big fat yes. David Brent: Life On The Road is the funniest and most touching thing Gervais has done in ages; a proof of his knack for mixing laughs and tears like few others. David Brent is no longer the king of Wernham Hogg, Slough’s finest paper company. He now sells tampons for a living. But he still dreams of being a rockstar and decides to blow his savings on a tour with his band, Foregone Conclusion. He hopes to impress the world, or at least some girls.

The idea is brilliant, and Gervais executes it flawlessly: put Brent on stage and let him make a fool of himself. Gervais doesn’t need to write many jokes for it; just show the chubby, hairy-backed sixtysomething trying to rock out in front of a crowd of zero. But Gervais doesn’t go for cheap gags; he also shows Brent’s inner pain, both on and off stage. He gives Brent absurd songs that tackle topics like Native American genocide or disabled rights; things that Brent is clueless about. They’re funny on the outside, but they show a man who feels worthless and insecure, and desperately tries to be someone he’s not. His whole life is a joke. Gervais’s talent is not just in making a sad character funny, but in making a funny character sad.

It doesn’t quite match the genius of The Office at its peak, and its emotional ending feels a bit sudden, but it’s one of the most enjoyable and moving films.