The Parole Officer
| The Parole Officer | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster, featuring supposed quotations from other Coogan comedy characters. | |
| Directed by | John Duigan |
| Written by | Steve Coogan Henry Normal |
| Produced by | Duncan Kenworthy Andrew Macdonald |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | John Daly |
| Edited by | David Freeman |
| Music by | Alex Heffes |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures International (through United International Pictures) |
Release date |
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Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £6 million |
The Parole Officer is a 2001 British comedy heist film, written by and starring Steve Coogan, directed by John Duigan, and produced by DNA Films. The film also stars Lena Headey, Stephen Dillane, Om Puri, Steven Waddington, Ben Miller, Emma Williams, and Omar Sharif. The plot revolves around a probation officer framed for murder, who seeks to prove their innocence by breaking into a bank containing vital evidence against the real culprit, with the aid of a diverse group of former criminals they paroled.
The film received mixed reviews from critics who, while comparing the film to the early British crime caper films of the 1950s and 60s despite the adult humour involved, were divided over Coogan's performance, the level of comedy, and the audience it catered to.