Coogan shot to fame as Alan Partridge.

Here, in his movie debut, he plays Simon Garden, a Blackpool parole officer so ineffectual (only three clients from around 1,000 ex-cons have not re-offended) that he is transferred by his superiors to Manchester.

In no time at all this bumbling well-meaner finds himself framed for a murder committed by bent copper DI Burton (Stephen Dillane).

The one piece of evidence that will prove Simon's innocence, a CCTV tape showing the murder, is locked away in a bank vault; so he assembles his ex-clients and persuades them to break in and steal it.

Although not particularly original, the film is very funny in parts; it's generally enjoyable and, on the whole, it's an entertaining hour and a half.

With a cast that includes the great Indian star Om Puri, English comedian Ben Miller and rising starlet Lena Headey, The Parole Officer boasts a shotgun approach to jokes that, although occasionally falling flat, can have you in stitches.

Unfortunately, Coogan doesn't quite cut it as a film actor. He was always going to find it hard to break free from the gel of character sketches and, while he may have delivered supporting turns in other people's movies, he's never had to carry the whole film.

Dominic Bloch