Web Editor, ZOO (www.zooweekly.co.uk). And they changed my photo. Splendid.
Web Editor, ZOO (www.zooweekly.co.uk). And they changed my photo. Splendid.
Member since:04.12.2000
Reviews:147
Members who trust:78
I've always been highly sceptical about football movies. Most of them are terrible. This is the best I've ever seen - and it ranks alongside all the best British movies of the past.
Yeah, it's a story of love, romance, and football dreams that's been done a million times before, yeah the ending is predictable, but this is the most genuinely heart warming film I've seen in a long, long time.
The football storyline is pretty basic. If anyone out there used to read Roy of the Rovers, then you'll remember a story called Billy's Boots, where a young lad got given some magic boots and became a kind of Paul Gascoigne on the football pitch. This is the same, and does make football side somewhat predictable, yet still compelling enough.
It's the things that go beyond the football which make this such a great feel-good movie. Aside from Jimmy overcoming the bullies and going on to greatness, there are so many other elements. The twists and turns of his own love life, the difficulty of growing up on a council estate, the sadness of watching his own mum's ups and downs - it's all brought home in melancholy glory.
The supporting cast is truly superb. Ray Winstone as Harry - the man Jimmy's mum wants, the man Jimmy looks up to as a father - is both touching and tender. He's done a lot in his career but this is the best I've ever seen of him. Similarly, Robert Carlyle as the ex-pro coach of the team is superb. Forget The Full Monty, forget Trainspotting - again, this is his most compelling performance ever. Add in Gina McKee (Notting Hill) as Billy's mum and you have one of the best supporting casts ever seen in a British movie.
Quite simply, I can't find enough superlatives to describe this film. Magical, touching, emotional - you really must see it. if you're a football fan, even more so. Absolutely brilliant - go buy it and fulfil all your dreams too.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Ang Lee - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Hugh Laurie, Robert Hardy
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
Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Ang Lee - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Hugh Laurie, Robert Hardy
decided to look this up on here as i'm watching the film on ch5 right now - have to agree with you completely !
Emmak 02.04.2001 18:36
I'm in this film! I'm sitting next to Gina and Ray in the football crowd shots at the final game. Me and my sister went down to Man City's ground to be film extras for a few days, ended up spending a whole day chatting to Ray, Gina Mckee (Notting Hill), John Henshaw (Cops) and John McArdle (ex-Brookie). We even got to briefly meet Robert Carlyle. I enjoyed the film, but I'm probably just biased. (If you don't believe me go to www.cinema.com there's a picture of me not looking to happy under Jimmy Grimble's gallery.)
Fiona_Tims 29.03.2001 20:44
A Ray Winstone film that I don't know about!!!....how's that???? :OP
Jimmy Grimble would do anything to become a football pro but a lack of self-confidence on ... more
the pitch is standing between him and his childhood dream.His misery is compounded further when his mother invites her latest moronic boyfriend to move in rather ...
Jimmy Grimble would do anything to become a football pro but a lack of self-confidence on ... more
the pitch is standing between him and his childhood dream. His misery is compounded when his mother invites her latest moronic boyfriend to move in rather than ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Truly a happy-go-lucky film. Very entertaining. Excellent acting on all counts, and top music. Disadvantages: We've seen it all before. Very predictable, and quite cliched as well.
![There's Only One Jimmy Grimble [DVD] [2000]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78532796.jpg "There's Only One Jimmy Grimble [DVD] [2000]")
Mar 23rd, 2001
very helpful by (100%):
