Gone too far (2014)

With themes of identity and finding your place in the world, Gone too Far is a hilarious window into the young ethnic diversity of London.

When his brother arrives from Nigeria it threatens to upset Yemi's comfortable existence. Events force him to assess his heritage and struggle with local bullies and the girl of his dreams in the midst of racial prejudice between Africans, Jamaicans and second generation residents of Peckham.

Very witty with sharp dialogue and very very funny.

Centurion (2010)

Beautifully shot in the Highlands and featuring a solid cast including Michael Fassbender, Liam Cunningham and David Morrissey; this story of the abortive attempt of the Roman Empire to conquer Scotland promises so much but ultimately falls a few denarii short of an aqueduct.

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Kill List (2011)

Director Ben Wheatley’s first feature-length film is all about the perils of being unemployed and bored. Couple that to a dysfunctional family and add a bit of the old ultra-violence and we have Kill List.

A good little film, well acted and creatively made, with a sucker punch of an ending (though not as bad as The Mist). I was just a bit thrown by lots of setup but no payoff. There are so many little drip-fed hints suggesting that everything is going to come together and be explained. Spoiler: there is no payoff; nothing is explained!

Otherwise, right up until the point when I realised that I wasn’t getting any closure (credits rolling) I really enjoyed Kill List. Well acted, moments of cinematic beauty and bursts of brutal violence. But, you know, that's just, like, my opinion man.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)

"She’s trying to intimidate me with quarter hours!” 

So says Maggie Smith’s Jean Brodie, a teacher in an Edinburgh girls' school in the 1930s.  Miss Brodie isn’t really a loose cannon, but she doesn’t really stick to the curriculum either.  As such, Maggie Smith is perfect.

Oh dear. I watched this back in March (when I wrote the above intro); pretty shocking that I didn't get round to reviewing this film at the time.  I do remember that Maggie Smith's performance was tremendous; as the dynamic, romantic young teacher who could influence her girls, she is mesmerising.  As a support, Gordon Jackson's music teacher managed to hold his own against Smith's vivacious character, but it is the girls who are the focus rather than the potential love interest.

The girls in Miss Brodie's class, particularly the main four who make up the "Brodie set", are all very good.  Pamela Franklin who plays Sandy gives a very measured performance, and arguably has more of a story arc than anyone else, as her impressionable school girl matures and sees Miss Brodie for who she really is.

A grand little film with a towering performance from Maggie Smith.  I just wish I could remember more of it without plagiarising IMDb or Wikipedia!  But, you know, that's just, like, my opinion man.

The Dam Busters (1955)

I had watched a documentary a few months ago about Barnes Wallis, the engineer who developed the bouncing bomb.  It was a fascinating programme, and featured some willing pilots who attempted to recreate dropping the bombs.  So I was really pleased that the movie wasn't just about the training and the mission, but also had Wallis' development of the idea and the frustrations he had trying to bring it to fruition.

The film then nicely integrates Wallis' testing of the bomb with the inception of a special RAF squadron that will carry out the mission into enemy territory.  By the end there is little else Wallis can do but wait alongside the commanders as the pilots leave to destroy the targeted dams.  At this point in the film there is some nice aerial photography of the aircraft and their encounter with enemy fire, juxtaposed against the silent anxiety back at base; clearly the inspiration for the attack on the Death Star at the end of Star Wars.

I enjoyed the hell out of this film, not least for several inspirational Star Wars moments, but because the film wasn't a run-of-the-mill war story, rather it was the story of a fantastic scientific idea from its inception to its devastating conclusion, that helped the war effort immeasurably.  But, well, you know, that’s just, like, er, my opinion, man.

Dog Soldiers (2002)

We are now up against live, hostile targets. So, if Little Red Riding Hood should show up with a bazooka and a bad attitude, I expect you to chin the bitch!

Six squaddies are on a training exercise in Scotland, but a group of special forces plan to use the soldiers as bait for a rumoured lupine predator. Of course it goes horribly wrong and our group of soldiers become besieged by werewolves in a remote cottage.  The first act of the film is easily the best; the introduction of the 6 main soldiers is certainly on a par with Predator, probably better because of the British humour; the atmosphere created by Neil Marshall and DOP Sam McCurdy is very sinister, spooky and adds real tension to the unfolding story.  The chase through the woods is really well done; lots of sinister back lit trees, werewolves flitting in and out of view, desperation of the soldiers, and all mixed up with a wolf view point adding a different dimension.

By the time the guys are holed up in a deserted cottage we are into the familiar territory of any number of siege films; not least Zulu, Tremors or a "Living Dead" film.  In fact Zulu is explicitly mentioned once and there are a few other nods to the classic film, but not the only film that is referenced.  However, though they are stuck in a cottage the film doesn't stagnate; a smart story and the British sense of humour wins out, and everything clips along at just the right tempo.  Sean Pertwee is magnificent as Sergeant Wells, and Kevin McKidd is very good as Private Cooper, but there is also a very clever understated performance from Liam Cunningham as Captain Ryan.

Overall Dog Soldiers is a really cool film, not amazing, not even that scary, but really good fun.  The characters are all well written and introduced in a way that allows a lot of fun to be had with them.  The effects are good (given what presumably is a modest budget) and the werewolves look like nothing seen before.

Great Expections (1946)

Recounting the tale of an orphan, apprentice to a blacksmith, who becomes the recipient of great wealth from a mysterious benefactor, this version of Great Expectations is a classic re-telling of the Dickens novel. David Lean's interpretation is subtle yet dynamic, at the heart of which are great performances from John Mills as Pip (the orphan), Valerie Hobson as Estella and of course Alec Guinness as Herbert Pocket. Actually Alec Guinness looks so young that it took me a while to figure out who it was! 

A thoroughly engrossing film, a classic in every sense of the word. My only issue was the age of Pip. Seen as a boy of 16 at the blacksmith's, it is only 4 years later that the mysterious benefactor leaves him a fortune, yet when he then moves to the city he looks about 40! David Mills is excellent in the role, but could they not have found someone closer to the right age? It doesn't take long to get past this issue though, and you can sit back and really enjoy the film.

A Night to Remember (1958)

A truly British account of the disaster that befell the "Unsinkable" ship; the Titanic.  Rather than concentrating on two pointless characters who fall in love and whose plight we are supposed to care about, A Night to Remember shows us how different people cope with the tragedy, how professional the crew were, and perhaps most strikingly the difference in traveller class (First Class could cost upward off £800 whereas steerage was only £12!).

The cast is very much an ensemble; though if there were any main character then it would be Kenneth More as Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller, who just seems to be un-flappable in any situation.  The other characters with which we become familiar are Captain Edward John Smith; the chairman of the shipping company - J. Bruce Ismay; and the ship's designer - Thomas Andrews.  The only other "star" would be Honor Blackman, but her character doesn't really get much screen time. As well as depicting everyone's way of dealing with the horrendous situation, the film also shows events on the Carpathia (the ship that rescued survivors) and the Californian; who despite being in visual range of RMS Titanic did nothing as they had unplugged their radio for the night.  In the aftermath of this disaster all ships were instructed to man their radios constantly.

Despite being over 50 years old, the special effects really hold up; undoubtedly helped by the massive model that was constructed during production.  I wonder how the digital effects from the 1997 film look now?  A very good film, without the need to focus on relationships between characters it almost documents the disaster rather than weaves a story around it, and is all the better for it.

Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

I thought Bridge on the River Kwai was very entertaining; a very British British film highlighting that it is the seemingly insignificant nuances of culture and integrity that are even more important when in an impossible situation. A tremendous performance from Alec Guinness, wonderfully shot, and a far more involved plot than I assumed. I liked the way that we initially sympathise with Guinness' character, but by the climax of the film we are firmly on the side of the British soldiers who are trying to destroy the bridge. Guinness' hubris is perhaps understandable but bizarrely at odds with what the Allies as a whole are trying to achieve.

As I said, the quality of acting is top drawer and the style and scope is epic. My only minor issue was that the climax wasn't quite climactic enough! I felt that the final act could have had more impact given the investment we had in the characters, but this is really a small failing in an otherwise excellent film

The Angels' Share (2012)

Every once in a while a film comes along which you don’t know much about, but it turns out to be a feel-good film which leaves you with a spring in your step. Of course it helped that it only cost me 50p to see! The Muppets was also a feel-good film, but we all knew essentially what was going to happen. In The Angels’ Share, Robbie (Paul Brannigan) has a history of of drug use and violence, but when his girlfriend gives birth to his son he is determined to change his life for the better. Encouraged by his community service officer Harry (John Henshaw) Robbie discovers the pleasures of whisky, and it turns out that he has a very good nose for it. When an opportunity arises to witness the auction of a very rare whisky, Robbie and some friends from the community service group travel to the distillery with a view to procuring some for themselves, the sale of which could really help Robbie and his new family.

Despite Robbie’s history, and the local thugs that are trying to get back at him, the film is very light-hearted and whimsical, and what little violence there is just adds to Robbie’s emotional journey. Paul Brannigan and John Henshaw are both very good in their roles, as is Gary Maitland as Albert who provides a lot of the laughs. More importantly it is the way that the characters work together that gets the viewer involved in the story; and the cast all work perfectly together resulting in a very enjoyable, funny and uplifting film.

A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

A Matter of Life and Death (or Stairway to Heaven in the USA) tells the story of Peter Carter, and RAF pilot in the second world war whose plane is shot down. Knowing that he’ll die anyway because the parachutes are gone, Peter has a last conversation with June, the radio operator who answers his mayday, then leaps from the plane. Something goes wrong, and he doesn’t die! Peter seizes this second chance, finds June, and they fall in love. Mistakes do occasionally happen in heaven though, and now Peter must appeal the mistake of his survival so that he may live a full loving life with June.

David Niven’s character Peter is very brave and calm. Initially he is perfectly at ease at the prospect of jumping out of a crashing plane to hasten his death; then after an initial confusion is very accepting that he must appeal to a higher authority the mistake that he’s still alive! Somehow Niven manages to convey this perfectly, and given how bizarre the concept is, I didn’t doubt his character or situation at all. Kim Hunter is good as June, the voice on the radio that Peter speaks to as his plane is crashing, and then the girl that he falls in love with after he doesn’t die. Actually the most interesting thing about Kim Hunter was seeing her face; I’ve only seen her performances behind a chimp mask in the Planet of the Apes series! It is also worth mentioning a good performance by Roger Livesey as Dr Reeves, a very “proper” doctor who completely believes Peter’s story, and ultimately acts for the defence in the appeal for Peter’s life.

All of the scene transitions are done really well. Clearly there are several matte paintings of some of the larger sets to give a sense of scale to heaven, but the imposition of live action into them as the camera was on the move was really good. Particularly striking is the black & white of heaven contrasting with the colour of the real world. I’m not sure if that is to represent everyone being pegged as either good or evil in the afterlife, but again it leads to some effective scene transitions as colour bleeds back into a shot. There is also a very ambitious behind-the-eyes shot as Peter falls asleep; the red of the eyelids bleeds out as the camera pans down to huge columns and then we notice that there are hundreds of tiny people milling about in front of the huge heavenly columns. Pretty cool, and still impresses 66 years later.

Ultimately the success of the film depends upon believable characters, so that the audience can get on board with the concept of appealing against death, and the ability to convey the afterlife with a suitable sense of scale without reverting to cliches. I think A Matter of Life and Death succeeds on both accounts. The main trio of characters are portrayed by really good actors who are all committed to the plot; additionally the vision & production of the film give a suitably mighty backdrop to the events.

                                              And she's buying the Stairway to Heaven

Layer Cake (2004)

I saw Layer Cake for the first time years ago, and I'd forgotten how cool and slick it was. X-men: First Class and Kick Ass director Matthew Vaughn combines smart camera angles, long steady-cam sequences and very clever editing along with some brutal violence to create a visually striking and very clever film. The plot zips along at a goodly pace, and while it is not as convoluted as some of Guy Ritchie's gangster film, it has enough revelations and twists along the way to maintain the pace.

Another way to make this a really cool film, is to cast Daniel Craig as the leading character XXXX. Here he is effortlessly cool, always calm, and always wearing amazing clobber; I can't help but think that Barbara Broccoli et al saw him in Layer Cake and thought "That's the next 007". Surrounding Craig is a cast that can more than hold their own; Michael Gambon as crime boss Eddie Temple, Tom Hardy as one of XXXX's associates, George Harris, Colm Meaney, and an unrecognisable Sally Hawkins as a drugged-up girlfriend.

A very entertaining film from rising star director Matthew Vaughn. Clearly those days spent producing Lock, Stock & Snatch had a great impact on him, as Layer Cake is his take on the gangster heist; and as a director's debut film he really hit the ground running. Excellent cast, clever use of the camera, smart plot, some brutal violence and all topped with some lovely moments of black humour. I haven't seen Kick Ass yet, but now I'm very keen to.

Made in Dagenham (2010)

Made in Dagenham is a film that highlights one of those key moments in the development of society, and the people who make the rest of us sit up and question the "norm".  The story here is about a group of women machine operators working for the Ford Motor Car factory in Dagenham in 1968.  The work that the women do (construction of the car upholstery) is extremely skilled, but as far as Ford management are concerned it is unskilled, and this permits them to pay the women as such.  Encouraged by their Union representative Albert Passingham (Bob Hoskins), Rita and Connie (Sally Hawkins & Geraldine James) meet the management to discuss a better deal.  However, they soon realise the bigger picture that women all over Britain are paid on a hugely reduced pay scale when compared to their male counterparts; and all because they are women.  So begins a large scale campaign to bring this inequality to the attention of the nation and to change the company's view towards working women.

The film is funny, emotional, tragic, touching and perhaps most importantly, makes people aware that something we take for granted now, has only become a reality very recently.  Director  Nigel Cole manages to take a very serious issue and make a very enjoyable film.  It's not wall to wall Lols, but like the recent Marigold Hotel, it is the emotional investiture in the characters - and in this case how up-front the women are with the (naturally) all-male management - that makes the film good.  Sally Hawkins in particular is good as Rita, the working housewife who is also trying to change corporate law regarding women.  All the women are very strong characters, but Sally is in particular: like when she points out to her husband that the fact he doesn't come home drunk and beat her shouldn't be exceptional, it should be normal!  Bob Hoskins is also very good as the Trade Union rep who is 100% behind the women, and is so gleeful when Rita tells the management committee how it is and should be.

A very enjoyable film, with a great solid cast, lots of humour, and a very important eye-opening message.  Not a classic of British films by any means, but very good nonetheless.

Monsters (2010)

There are many many creature features in the world, so for today's audiences these kind of films have to be done a little different. The likes of Troll Hunter and Cloverfield have really nailed the POV found-footage genre, and if you can stand the shaky cam then they are really effective. Super 8 makes the kids the main characters, seeing the creature through the eyes of these budding film-makers making their own movie. Attack the Block makes the "heroes" real anti-heroes and puts a real modern spin on things. Monsters is something different again; the monsters are really secondary, where the focus of the film is the growing relationship between Sam and Andrew; and that's before I mention how it was made. More on that later.

Having discovered Alien life within our Solar System, NASA try to make contact by sending up a probe, which then breaks up while re-entering earth's atmosphere over Mexico. New life forms soon started appearing in Mexico, and half of the country is then quarantined as the "Infected Zone". Journalist photographer Andrew Kaulder (Scoot McNairy) is told by his boss to get his daughter, Sam (Whitely Able), out of hospital and out of Mexico. Unfortunately a nice ferry trip over the Gulf of Mexico is out of the question after Sam has her passport stolen; cue a journey through the Infected Zone.

Like I mentioned, there are far fewer monsters than I expected from a film called Monsters. It is really a case of less is more; so we see the occasional tentacle pulling a fighter jet underwater, or blurry news footage on a TV in the background. For the most part the film concentrates on the human drama as Andrew and Sam try to make their way North through Mexico and back to the US. It's quite a cool film, not edge of the seat stuff or horrific at all, but the two main actors are very good at conveying the wonder, fear and uncertainty of their journey. Just like Sam Neill, Laura Dern et al. in Jurassic Park, Scoot and Whitney are very good at reacting to the situations they encounter. This culminates in a scene near the end as they realise that the aliens are actually quite beautiful and just doing their thing; they only become aggressive as mankind tries to control and eliminate them.

While it is a good film, arguably far more interesting is how Monsters was made. With a crew of only 4 as well as the two main actors, the film was really made by winging it! A lot of filming was done in central America, and the crew would simply drive around, leap out of the car if director Gareth Edwards saw something interesting, and then they would just start filming! There would only be the vaguest idea of what would be happening in a particular scene, so the actors would just improvise most of the time. Any extras that were in the film were randoms that just happened to be there as they were filming. Real guerilla film-making. I did know beforehand that the special effects had been done by the director himself, which also makes this a fairly unique film. I believe that he only used software that you or I could buy off the shelf! So it's pretty impressive that all the CG effects look great.

Of course this remarkable seat-of-the-pants way of making the film should in no way rose-tint my view of the film itself. The movie is pretty cool but nothing amazing, though it scores well in terms of the actors giving great performances of "normal" people being thrown into dangerous situations. Unfortunately there are a couple of plot holes, I guess an inevitable result of the way the film was made: not actually having a strict plot! Overall a good film with an interesting idea, well acted, occasionally beautifully shot and actually more than a passing resemblance to a post-apocalyptic movie than a creature-feature.

The Woman in Black (2012)

The Woman in Black is a good old haunted house on a hill ghost story. There is a goodly amount of suspense, and several jumpy moments; two of which are really good. When Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) is sent by his firm of lawyers to tie up the estate of the recently-deceased owner of a mansion, he catches sight of the mysterious Woman in Black. Unfortunately, whenever she is seen, children in the local village start dying, seemingly of their own volition.

Very sinister indeed, and the film does well generating suspense and a real sense of mystery. Practically shot in monochrome, the film feels very edgy; enhanced by the villagers' superstition and inherent distrust of anyone that shows any interest in the mansion. I think that it will be a while until Daniel Radcliffe can shake Harry Potter, but he does quite well here; helped by the fact that he doesn't speak very much. Though every time he took a slug of whisky I kept thinking "But you're still at school!" Ciaran Hinds was excellent throughout as the only skeptic in the village; and the scenes between him and Radcliffe were always very good. Ironically enough the woman in black is played by Liz White!

Overall The Woman in Black was an effective and chilling Hammer Horror with a classic haunted house plot. Well acted, and despite using a lot of the old tropes associated with the genre, a genuinely spooky movie. The suspense was fairly constant for much of the film, but actually perhaps not as tense as something like The Grey.

Another Year (2010)

One of the keys to a film which depicts the relationships and dynamics between a group of people is being able to relate to the characters. Almost, the viewers need to know and understand the characters to the extent that we can predict their reactions to situations. Another Year does just that; as it charts a year in the life of a family and their friends. Tom and Gerri (Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen) are a middle-aged couple who really love their gardening, and the film follows their emotional ups and downs over the course of a year.

Director Mike Leigh seems to excel at getting actors to give really convincing, awkward, nervous performances. Abigail's Party was particularly cringe-worthy, but essences of those performances are on display in Another Year too. In this respect Lesley Manville as Mary (family friend & work colleague of Gerri) is particularly great. Her character never stops talking, is socially unaware, and is borderline psychotic. Nowhere is this clearer than her relationship with Tom and Gerri’s son Joe (Olivier Maltman). Having been childhood friends she flirts with him a little too much the wrong side of playful. Quite clearly Joe has no interest, so when one day he turns up with a new girlfriend and Mary happens to stop round for tea: bang! Mary practically shuts down, she suddenly stops talking, can’t look anyone in the eye and pounds even more red wine than usual. All the little facial nuances of Mary’s emotional state are spot on; this example being one of the instances we know exactly how the character will react.

Another character worth mentioning is Ken (Peter Wright). In his first real scene having dinner with Tom and Gerri, he is stuffing his face with food, glugging the red wine, then the John Smith's, probably smoking (I can’t remember), all the while mopping his brow with a napkin because he is sweating profusely (he’s quite hefty). I expected him to have a heart attack then and there! It’s cringe-worthy because he is obviously so unhappy with his life; but when his amorous moves on Mary are soundly rebuffed, the uncomfortable level goes up to 11! There is also a great turn by David Bradley as the recently widowed Ronnie, though he doesn’t say very much. It is his silent stoicism as Mary is desperately trying to talk to him that is excruciating yet wildly funny at the same time. Compared to everyone else Tom and Gerri, far from being cartoon characters, are the emotional rocks that everyone else can count on; Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen are both perfect for these roles.

Breaking the narrative into the four seasons of the year allows each section to have a different feel. In particular Winter is very monochrome, especially fitting as this is when the funeral for Ronnie’s wife is. Given the subject of much of the film, Mike Leigh manages to keep the ambiance away from doom and gloom. A lot of the scenes have an edge to them, but not so much that it’s oppressive. The final scene is a good example of this. Set at a dinner table the camera pans slowly around as we see everyone there; Tom is telling a story, nervous laughter from those present; until finally the camera stops and lingers on Mary before fading out. I think perhaps for the first time we don’t know what she’s thinking: she laughs at the appropriate points, she glugs her wine, but her eyes dart between everyone at the table; and I’m not sure if she’s trying to come to terms with her lot in life, does she want out, or is she scheming?

A film unlike anything I’ve seen before (apart from maybe Abigail’s Party), quirky, squirmy, well crafted and superbly acted by all involved.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012)

"I want to outsource Old Age"

Films with ensemble casts are tricky things. No doubt filling a story with big stars is going to get people to watch it; but as a result, some of the characters can become marginalised and you end up wondering what the point of casting them was. I like Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s 11, it’s slick, stylish, has an intriguing plot, and it has a hell of a cast. There is no doubt however, that it’s George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s film. Crash is another example. Another great cast, but was Sandra Bullock really necessary? Just checking IMDB, I’d forgotten that Brendan Fraser and William Fitchner were in it! Of course one way of fitting in all the characters is to go down the route of Magnolia: make a really long film so that everyone gets enough screen time!

However, in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, it all seems to work. All of the characters get time enough for their story to unfold, it’s not an overlong film, and there definitely isn’t one or two main characters. It also happens to be very funny. All of the cast here (pretty much the cream of later-generation British talent) are quietly brilliant; no-one particularly steals the lime-light, they all just work perfectly together; understated but great acting. You can tell where most of the characters' stories are going: Maggie Smith’s fairly racist Muriel will obviously embrace the Indian culture by the end of the film (these are hardly spoilers), Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton’s marriage is clearly rocky, throw in a romantic story for Dev Patel as well as his struggle against an overbearing Mum and none of the film is terribly original. This doesn't matter at all, because it's the way we get there that's so enjoyable.

Director John Madden may not have the most illustrious back-catalogue (though Shakespeare in Love did win a Best Picture Academy Award), but he handles the various story arcs very well, weaving them in such a way that they don’t feel forced or focussed on one character too much. At one point I did feel that two of the characters had been marginalised; but no sooner had I had that thought, then we got back to them and their story was fleshed out more.

The film doesn’t do anything outstanding, but it is deftly handled, the cast are all great, and it is sometimes wickedly funny.

Four Lions (2010)

Rubber Dinghy Rapids Bro!

A film about British Muslim suicide bombers could have been cringeworthy, inappropriate (especially as it’s directed by Chris Morris), or just plain awful. As it turns out, it is a very entertaining, and funny (very dark humour) film. The story revolves around four main characters who want to protest against western capitalist consumerism, ultimately by blowing stuff up. There is a very strong performance by Riz Ahmed who plays Omar, the leader of the group, who tries to keep his fellow Jihadists focussed. Nigel Lindsay is also very good as the unhinged Barry, who thinks that the best target for their act of terror should be the local Mosque! These two are supported by Kayvan Novak (Waj), and Adeel Akhtar (Faisal) who manage to be so believable and serious despite their characters being so incompetent; Waj couldn’t have a thought of his own if his life depended on it, and Faisal is training crows to carry bombs into buildings!

Despite the subject matter and the way the film portrays the perpetrators, (I think) the film is never offensive. Rather it makes the audience wonder whether real terrorists have such conflicting ideologies, and whether the organisation involves muppets like Barry and Waj. At the end of the day Four Lions is a very entertaining film, helped along by a very sharp and witty script, a cast who suit their roles perfectly , and the kind of black humour that Chris Morris is so good at.

Brassed Off (1996)

It is 1994, and the Grimely Coal mine in Yorkshire is in danger of being closed. With various problems in their homelife compounding their misery, one of the few pleasures that the miners can look forward to is playing in the Grimely Colliery Brass Band. Despite various deteriorating circumstances (wives moving out taking the kids with them; seriously ill father, attempted suicide, female member of the band turns out to be working for the British Coal Board who are involved in closing the mine), the band win various local competitions, and head to the final in the Royal Albert Hall.

I expected Brassed Off to be funnier; I guess I had just pegged it wrong. What it does do is paint a fairly grim picture of what it must have been like through the 80s and early 90s as coal pit after pit was facing closure. It is certainly eye-opening; as I grew up in the 80s I was aware of the phrase “miners strikes” being used a lot on the news, but was too young to really understand the politics of it all; so I had no idea that these hard-working men were being let down by their government so badly, and how hard life must have been for them.

There are funny moments of course but the main focus is very much on the drama; and very good drama too. Pete Postlethwaite is typically brilliant as Danny the band leader (he has a great speech at the end of the film in The Royal Albert Hall, highlighting the plight of their society to the London public), and there are similarly solid performances from the likes of Ewan McGregor, Stephen Tompkinson, Tara Fitzgerald and others. A great film in the same vein as The Full Monty: A comedy-drama set against the backdrop of industrial upheavals in recent British history. Though Brassed Off is more about the drama than its more glamorous Sheffield cousin!