Watch Guest House Paradiso

Guest House Paradiso is a 1999 British comedy film directed by Adrian Edmondson and starring Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, and Bill Nighy. The film is based on the characters from the television series Bottom, which aired from 1991 to 1995. The film takes place at a run-down, seaside guesthouse called the Guest House Paradiso, owned and operated by the vulgar and cantankerous Richie (Rik Mayall) and Eddie (Adrian Edmondson). The guesthouse is in a state of disrepair, with leaking pipes, broken furniture, and a kitchen that resembles a war zone. Richie and Eddie’s guests range from the boisterous and obnoxious Tony (Vincent Cassel) and his henpecked friend Gino (Enzo Cilenti), to the elderly and eccentric Mrs. Foxfur (Sophie Thompson) and her long-suffering husband (David Daker).

As the guests check in, the chaos begins. The kitchen staff, including the bumbling chef (Bill Nighy) and his assistant (Kate Ashfield), struggle to keep up with the demands of the guests, resulting in a series of disastrous meals. Richie and Eddie’s attempts to make the guesthouse seem more luxurious and upscale only lead to more problems, including a brawl at the local pub and a disastrous attempt to create a hot tub.

Things go from bad to worse when a group of environmental activists led by the glamorous and mysterious Gina Carbonara (Hélène Mahieu) arrive at the guesthouse, threatening to shut it down due to its numerous violations of health and safety regulations. Richie and Eddie, desperate to keep the guesthouse open, resort to increasingly extreme (and often illegal) measures to keep the activists at bay, leading to a series of hilarious mishaps and misunderstandings.

Guest House Paradiso is a raucous and often cringe-worthy comedy, filled with slapstick humor, scatological jokes, and moments of pure absurdity. It’s a film that revels in its own crudeness and vulgarity, pushing the boundaries of taste and decency at every turn. But beneath the surface, there’s a cleverly written and expertly performed comedy that manages to be both absurd and surprisingly heartfelt.

Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson, who co-wrote the film as well as starring in it, have an undeniable chemistry that’s been honed over years of working together. Their performances as the beleaguered proprietors of the Guest House Paradiso are over-the-top and cartoonish, but also grounded in a sense of genuine affection for their characters. Bill Nighy, in one of his earlier film roles, steals every scene he’s in as the manic and hysterical chef, while Vincent Cassel brings a sense of unbridled energy to his role as the boisterous Tony.

Despite its flaws, Guest House Paradiso is a genuinely funny and enjoyable comedy, and a must-see for fans of the Bottom television series. Its absurdity and crude humor may not be to everyone’s taste, but for those who appreciate this kind of comedy, it’s a true gem.