Brassed Off was shown the other evening on More 4 and as there was not much else on I thought I would give it a go and I was so glad I did. It is a beautiful emotional film which will call on a whole range of emotions as you watch it! I felt that it was two hours watching which was time very well spent.
'Brassed Off' is a film set in the early 1990s at a time when there was a lot of political unrest and Margaret Thatcher, the then prime minister, was not very popular amongst the working classes. A major reason for this was the relentless push to close the coal pits, putting countless miners out of work with very few prospects of finding new employment.
The film is set at Grimley Pit where the miners are facing the same threats of closure. Also, as was a very strong tradition, many of the miners were also members of the pit's brass band. The film tends to take two parallel strands - the closure of the pit against the activity of the band who are aiming to make the national final and play at the Royal Albert Hall. I won't say much more about how these end up though so as not to spoil the film for any one who has not seen it.
There are also the individual stories of the miners involved. There is Danny who is played superbly by Pete Postlewaite. He conducts the band and it is his passion. He cannot understand how the other men might want to give up when there is all to play for! Then there is Danny's son Phil, played by Stephen Tompkinson, who cuts a very tragic and lonely figure at times. He is up to his eyes in debt and his long suffering wife and kids are all desperate. There is a very young (and gorgeous looking) Ewan Mc Gregor who plays Andy. He is smitten when his childhood sweetheart walks into the band practice. She is Gloria (played by Tara Fitzgerald), but it soon transpires that she works for the 'management'. To associate with Gloria would be seen as being a scab! There is a smaller cameo part with Sue Johnston playing one of the wives. She always puts on an excellent performance, especially when playing a down trodden wife, and her performance in this film is no exception!
The story is very moving in lots of ways. It's also quite sad but not sad at the same time! You really sense the desperation of men in danger of losing both their jobs and their self esteem. But there is also a real warmth and honesty amongst them as well. These are men who will stick together through thick and thin. However, the film is also a lot of fun and there are some very funny moments as well. Also, the music that the band plays is fantastic. I could never have called myself a fan of brass band music but I thoroughly enjoyed listening to them play tunes such as Floral Dance and Jerusalem.
Overall, I felt that there was a powerful and moving script that kept me engrossed throughout the film. It is the sort of film that will have you chuckling one moment and crying the next. At the end of the film I did feel a bit emotionally drained. Also I thought that all of the acting was spot on. All were hugely believable characters who gained both my sympathy and respect.
I watched the film on TV, but having done so I do feel that it is a film that I now want in my DVD collection so that I can watch it again. Having looked on Amzon, the DVD does not sem to have much in the way of extras - only the usual screen selection and sub titles. At the moment it can be bought for only £6.97.
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Production Year: 1998 - Drama - Director: Martin Brest - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Marcia Gay Harden, Jake Weber, Claire Forlani, Jeffrey Tambor
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
It's 1992 and the miners of Grimley Colliery are facing uncertainty. Not only is their ... more
pit under threat but the Grimley Colliery Band is on the verge of breaking up - that is until Gloria (Tara Fitzgerald) arrives. As the only female member of the ...
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Feb 10th, 2008
(Feb 12th, 2008)
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