ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS: THE MOVIE (15) 91 mins.

JENNIFER Saunders' award-winning sitcom of barbed insults and fashionable excess saunters onto the big screen, directed by Mandie Fletcher.

Edina Monsoon (Saunders) is in the PR doldrums. Her client list is thinner than a catwalk model and she continues to clash with her strait-laced daughter Saffy (Julia Sawalha), who has a 13-year-old daughter called Lola (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness).

While Saffy prefers cardigans to couture, thankfully Edina's best friend Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley) is still in the media eye.

Her magazine is sponsoring the lavish Huki Muki Retrospective launch party which of course, means lots of free champagne, beautiful people and the chance to spot a celeb or two.

Supermodel Kate Moss, who is currently between PRs, is due to attend the event and Edina vows to woo the English rose and land her before arch rival Claudia Bing (Celia Imrie) of Bing, Bing, Bing & Bing.

This hare-brained scheme goes tragically awry and the fashion world is quick to point the finger of blame for Kate Moss' death at Edina and Patsy.

Eddy's trusty secretary Bubble (Jane Horrocks) vanishes at the most inopportune moment so the despondent duo are forced to go on the run, or more of a walk in their six inch heels.

They head for the Cote d'Azur, where they intend to salve their woes by snagging a wealthy husband or two - preferably someone with one foot in the grave and the other on a banana skin.

Unfortunately, Edina's mother (played wonderfully by the legendary June Whitfield) is also in the South of France to celebrate the birthday of her well-to-do sister, Violet (Wanda Ventham).

The result is chaos, mayhem and lots more champagne.

In true Ab Fab style, the cast is joined by a host of A-list stars from the acting, music and fashion worlds. See how many you can spot.

Of course, it is appropriate for their big screen debut, that Edina and Patsy are still oozing glitz and glamour, living the high life they are accustomed to; shopping, drinking and clubbing their way around Europe's trendiest hotspots.

There are lots of in jokes and the fashion world has never had the fun taken so much as when Edina and Patsy hit town.

If you loved the TV series (and who did not) then you will probably love this film too. In a world gone politically correct, Edina and Patsy are refreshing characters who will rebel at the slightest opportunity - and you can bet they really do.