Rowan Atkinson's dimwitted Mr. Bean is back after a ten-year hiatus and not a moment too soon. In Mr. Bean's Holiday, Mr. Bean can't believe he's lucky enough to win a vacation to Cannes and digital camcorder at a church raffle. But that's where his good luck ends as everything, predictably, goes haywire.
Bean soon finds himself in Paris and has to jump through some hoops to change trains. Once on his train to Cannes, he encounters a young boy who he inadvertently separates from his father, who also happens to be a judge at the Cannes Film Festival. They'll eventually be reunited but not before a whole series of mishaps befall Mr. Bean.
The producers purposely set the film in France so that Bean would not have to actually talk to anyone. While this certainly presents challenges in how to propel the story, the reliance on sight gags masterfully performed by Mr. Atkinson is a stroke of genius. Shades of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton are evident in Mr. Atkinson's performance and he demonstrates an ability to use his facial muscles to create humorous expressions.
The film is at its best also when it focuses on the scenery. The photography throughout the south of France is incredible and the filmmakers have made the most of using their setting as an additional member of the cast.
Emma de Caunes adds a wonderful spark as Sabine, an actress that Mr. Bean keeps running into and eventually becomes a key part of Bean's trek across France. There is also a wonderful performance by William Dafoe as self-absorbed actor/director Carson Clay. His performance particularly in the last quarter of the film at Cannes makes for a nice little jab at the film industry as a whole.
The real genius in this film, though, is still Rowan Atkinson. When the story takes a predictable turn (such as when Mr. Bean leaves his passport and money on top of a phone booth at a train station), he can still make it into a hilarious moment through his reactions to his various predicaments.
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