... Well it’s the latter for Mike Bassett, Manager of First Division Norwich City who answers his country’s call to take over as England Manager.
Because the current Boss has been rushed to hospital with a heart attack (how apt is that after the weekend’s sad problems for ... Read review
The latest in the ubiquitous mockumentary genre,Mike Bassett: England Managerfollows the ... more
eponymous hapless head-honcho of the England Squad through the build-up to the World Cup. Ricky Tomlinson is Bassett, once again donning the sheepskin coat of the ...
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The latest in the ubiquitous mockumentary genre,Mike Bassett: England Managerfollows the ... more
eponymous hapless head-honcho of the England Squad through the build-up to the World Cup. Ricky Tomlinson is Bassett, once again donning the sheepskin coat of the ...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Mike Bassett: England Manager is a hilarious British comedy that stars Ricky Tomlinson. ... more
Featuring cameos from Barry Vension, Gabby Yorath, Atomic Kitten and Pele. When the England manager has a heart attack, football's top brass turn to Mike Bassett (b...
Popular British actor, Ricky Tomlinson, stars in this lighthearted football-themed comedy ... more
as the titular Mike Bassett, a lowly football manager who is surprisingly handed the job as manager of the English national team. The film follows the team's hapless exploits as they set out to win the World Cup in Brazil. After a losing streak and an embarrassing drunken incident, the manager has to rally his team and his country behind him.
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
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Production Year: 2004 - Comedy - Director: John Hay - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jimi Mistry, Kate Miles, Dougray Scott
Advantages: One of best British comedies of recent years, Excellent soccer film, Funny and very well observed Disadvantages: A bit slow early on, Not as much fun if you hate soccer
...Well it’s the latter for Mike Bassett, Manager of First Division Norwich City who answers his country’s call to take over as England Manager.
Because the current Boss has been rushed to hospital with a heart attack (how apt is that after the weekend’s sad problems for Liverpool’s Gerard Houllier – Best wishes to him for a full and Speedy recovery), the FA rush to appoint a successor. With just three English ... ...is cast as the hapless Mike Bassett in this British comedy about the world of soccer. It is done documentary style along the lines of that epic rock spoof ‘Spinal Tap’. Just as ‘Tap’ was done well and keenly observed, so ‘Bassett’ is not only funny, but cleverly drawn, with characters based on various soccer ‘idols’ you all know and love.
The film follows the fortunes of the tubby unknown ... more
To borrow a quote from Shakespeare - “Some are born Great. Some achieve Greatness and some have Greatness thrust upon them”. Well it’s the latter for Mike Bassett, Manager of First Division Norwich City who answers his country’s call to take over as England Manager.
Because the current Boss has been rushed to hospital with a heart attack (how apt is that after the weekend’s sad problems for Liverpool’s Gerard Houllier – Best wishes to him for a full and Speedy recovery), the FA rush to appoint a successor. With just three English managers in the Premier League – none of whom are interested, they plump for Mr Bassett. And the scene is set for a glorious reign as National Team Boss – NOT !!
The Royle Family’ s Ricky Tomlinson is cast as the hapless Mike Bassett in this British comedy about the world of soccer. It is done documentary style along the lines of that epic rock spoof ‘Spinal Tap’. Just as ‘Tap’ was done well and keenly observed, so ‘Bassett’ is not only funny, but cleverly drawn, with characters based on various soccer ‘idols’ you all know and love.
The film follows the fortunes of the tubby unknown as the media spotlight is shone fully on him. Real life TV Reporter Martin Bashir periodically crops up to take Mike aside and ask him for his current thoughts, as the film follows his highs (if there are any) and lows (yes, lots).
At times he acts just like he is a ‘rabbit caught in headlights’. His grasp of the international football scene and the complicated playing system is basically – NIL. He insists on doing it his way and adopts the 4-4-2 system. Despite being told it won’t work in Internationals. He surrounds himself with oddballs. Selects a used car salesman, Lonnie Urquart (Philip Jackson) as his Number 2. He is more concerned with trying to flog the latest Hyundai to players already sporting a Lotus! There’s a job too for Dave Dodds (Bradley Walsh) as team Coach and the consummate ‘yes man’.
Bassett’s most controversial team selections include bringing back soccer legend Kevin ‘Tonka’ Tonkinson (Dean Lennox Kelly) – those of you in the know will identify him as a Gazza clone, but a very OTT one! His team skipper too is hard man, hard nut defender whose international record so far is Played 25 games – finished 3! Yes, he get sent off a lot. Much travelled real-life soccer player Phil Gridelet (now with Ryman League Hendon FC, but previous League clubs include Southend Utd, Peterborough Utd and Barnet) does a good job in creating this character, one who later in the film is seen on TV by his teammates leading the England ‘thug’ hoardes against a fleeing Riot Police - ”That’s our bloody skipper that is – hey Go on, Give ‘em some!” shouts Tonka animatedly at the screen.
There are a few other familiar faces in this film with Guest appearances from such as Atomic Kitten, Pele and Eric Cantona. Plus those of you who follow soccer soap ‘Dream Team’ on Sky One would also recognise Terry Kiely – Fletch in Dream Team’ – as one of the players constantly on his mobile to his wife (makes a change I thought most top players were always on the phone to their Agents?!)
There aren’t many films around – except the plethora of Teen flicks – that have real belly laugh moments. This is one of them. There is some outrageous comedy and one or two scenes that may give your Grandma a fright (like in the Team bath as ‘Tonka’ does his bit to make it a ‘jacuzzi’ until ……I’ll say no more!) If I’m honest, much of the joy of this film would be lost if you Hate football. If that describes you – don’t bother watching it. If you are a fan you will love it. I’ve met only two people that have seen the film and claim to have not enjoyed it – I can only assume they watched it in the back row of the Cinema whilst trying unsuccessfully to ‘pork’ their girlfriends!
England may have had to scrape the ‘bottom of the barrel’ to find Mike Bassett, but I can assure you that barrel will be full of laughs. You can still catch this at the Cinema, although the effect won’t be lost if you have to wait for the Video. It’s Good!
Advantages: funny, made me laugh Disadvantages: the Sports Centre scene, not as good for non-football fans
Mike Bassett: England Manager
Over recent years, there have been countless fly-on-the-wall documentaries. The problem with these, however, was that people got bored watching normal people do normal things so it wasn’t long before something had to be altered to keep reality TV shows on our TVs. One thing was the forced situations such as in the recent hits of Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity… Another option was spotted by a smart ... ...Ricky Tomlinson – Mike Bassett
The star of the show, Mike Bassett now coaching Norwich City and doing a dam good job at it. He was a footballer once but never made moves towards the elite leagues and lingered down in the lower leagues until he got his big break as Colchester assistant manager. When the England manager’s job becomes available, he is thrown into the limelight and becomes the most famous man in England.
Ricky Tomlinson ...
christopherj84 13.05.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Mike Bassett: England Manager (DVD)
...individuals in his role as Mike Bassett England Manager, and this highly amusing mockumentary, parodying all those documents of past World Cup finals with true Panatone Movie News perspective, paints a vivid and enormously satisfying masterpiece. I loved it.
The story is of the rise to fame of Norwich City football manager Mike Bassett, who is the surprise choice to take over as the new boss of the national side when the previous incumbent is ruled ... ...circus which surrounds it, then Mike Bassett England Manager won't be anywhere near as entertaining as it is if you get the joke. You'll still find it an engaging and warmly amusing piece, but you won't appreciate it fully, with its cruel dissection of the kind of larger than life caricatures you find on the football pitch. I love football, and I adore Mike Bassett, a quite splendid example of the enthusiastically small time English cinema industry. ...
dave27 30.10.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Mike Bassett: England Manager (DVD)
Advantages: light-heartd fun if you are a footie fan Disadvantages: slow
...unless you’re into football. Mike Bassett – England manager is at times very funny but at other times the film is awfully slow and waiting to burst into life then it suddenly ends.
The film itself stars Ricky Tomlinson as Mike Bassett and is set against the background of the need for a new England manager who is then followed round like a fly on the wall documentary.
Faced with the need to hire a new manager the FA sit round their table ... ...they are left to grab Mike Bassett – Norwich manager and recent cup winner at Wembley. Tomlinson is joined by Bradley Walsh for his coaching skills in the game. They turn out to be woeful which just adds to the film.
After taking the job he is followed everywhere by Martin Bashir for what is a sort of documentary type programme. Everyone is astounded that Bassett is picked to be manager and the film gets going. Bassett looks to pick his own ...
liverweb 19.10.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Mike Bassett: England Manager (DVD)
Advantages: Very funny in places, good idea as it is different, a good lead actor:Ricky Tomlinson. Disadvantages: The ending seemed rushed, a bit too much swearing in places.
Mike Bassett: England Manager
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This film appears to be only for those of us who are avid football supporters. This is not true. So I’m not a big football fan, but this film kept me entertained. I’d seen the trailers for the film which made it look fairly appealing, especially with Ricky Tomlinson, from ‘The Royle Family.’ Amanda Redman and Bradley Walsh also star in the film.
It is rated a 15 and lasts 89 minutes. ... ...probably imagine from the title, Mike Bassett becomes the England Manager. If you have seen the adverts for the film you will probably have seen the Norwich City team after winning their league going along a by pass on an open topped double decker bus after the driver takes a wrong turn. This is a good start to the film, although it does appear to take sometime to get to the action.
It appears that the current England Manager is unable to continue ...
PeterFarrell 20.10.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Mike Bassett: England Manager (DVD)
Advantages: Good cast, Not too long, Some funny jokes? Disadvantages: Dull story, Predicatable, Acting isn't great
Mike Bassett : England Manager, has to be the worst film I have seen this year... to put it in one word it was boring! I went to see this film for 2 main reasons - the first is that all the trailers I saw for the film made it look like it was going to be funny, and secondly it starred Ricky Tomlinson (of Royle Family Fame as Jim Royle) which I thought would make it even funnier, but I was unfortunately wrong. The general story starts with Mike Bassett ... ...the other premier team managers, Mike Bassett is eventually offered the job, and of course, he takes it. Training with the England team commences and despite losing their 3 qualifying matches they still make it to the World Cup through some mathematical miracle which obviously gives Mike and the team cause to celebrate. So they head of to Brazil, where of course, they still keep losing... The press are abviously following Mike's every move as such ...
angeelu 12.10.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Mike Bassett: England Manager (DVD)
Audio Commentary - 1. Steve Barron - Director, Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical Trailer, Deleted Scenes, Cast Interviews, Featurette
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
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Listed on Ciao since
06/10/2001
DVD Description
Popular British actor, Ricky Tomlinson, stars in this lighthearted football-themed comedy as the titular Mike Bassett, a lowly football manager who is surprisingly handed the job as manager of the English national team. The film follows the team's hapless exploits as they set out to win the World Cup in Brazil. After a losing streak and an embarrassing drunken incident, the manager has to rally his team and his country behind him.
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