During the CoVid pandemic I watched this movie on one of the free streaming service. It was really funny and a good time to watch! I felt like I was invited to just sit back and laugh at the silliness and sweetness of the movie...and I did!! Thanks for the review.
Luckily, Roger Ebert said it was an amazing film and he begged people to see it. I saw it. I loved it. Comedic brilliance and family drama. Jerry Lewis had daddy issues in real life. I wonder if that attracted him to the script?
In 1993 the media and audiences largely still expected and wanted ex-Python stars to produce sardonic, theatre-of-the-absurd Pythonesque movies and shows.. Paul G
The scene in the shop with the lady is my local area and my mum worked at the nursing home facing you can even see the manager looking out the window at one scene
As someone who can't stand rom- coms, this is slightly more tolerable than most. That is the kindest thing i can bring myself to say about it. The plot, script and characters are not interesting, well-developed or feasible. The main character's hysterically pathetic response to his wife's labour seemingly directly contributes to her death - but this is not explored or examined in any meaningful way. In a jarring change of tone, 20 minutes after the death of his wife, the audience is invited to be amused by the sight of him doting on his baby daughter. The "romantic" element of the film is an afterthought - cynically crowbarring in an American love-interest (presumably to aid international commercial appeal), and the "comedy" is limited to the slightest of chuckles, offset by the overall weird and patchy tone.
Unlike Ken Loach, Shane is actually from the class background that he's so fond of depicting. I think one can see the difference when watching their respective films.
Just rewatched this film for the first time in ages. It takes me back that period in my life more than any other film. It’s about as close as you can get on film to the reality of that scene. I am pretty sure many of the actors were actually mashed when filming. It’s the little details that make it real. As a now 48 year old man with wide and mortgage and kids I look back on those mad times in the 90s with much nostalgia. Great times.
This film reverberated then because it isn't just close to how we were living then, it's a carbon copy. A weekend adventure that we knew we'd had, but couldn't remember. Apparently there has been a second instalment announced and even crowd funded but I for one hope it stays were it is with perhaps a blu-ray release. It perfectly captured a moment in time people of my age group look back as the best days of our lives.
No underappreciation here. Saw it at the cinema in '98 and 25 years later I still watch once a year. Should be archived as an historical piece, back when London was safe and full of hope
I stumbled upon this some time back. At first I felt it was like a university project. It cut deep but skimmed the surface in many ways. Kelly is so wonderful in this touchingly moving insight of a young woman on the game in London. I think life on the game is a wee bit harsher than it’s portrayed. I think the place where all the young girls were staying was a real situation. Could go on for hours, but I’ll leave it here. If you haven’t seen this movie I suggest you get a copy.
Great review, thanks for putting it up. I remember seeing the film when it was released (I was only 10 at the time and not really sure how we ended up going to see it as it was hardly a blockbuster). It's always stayed with me though and I've often wanted to see it again but don't think it's been repeated anywhere for a long time. I guess Talking Pictures in the UK may well show it at some point, seems the most likely. It screams of the Britpop era looking back at it now, Stuart Townsend could easily have been in Blur!
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A great take on the film and some fantastic info that I had no idea about. Thank you. It remains one of my top 20 films of all time. Sucker for a tragic comedy! Lee Evans should have won awards, that performance is absolutely fucking remarkable!
