Ben says: Brassed Off is my top nomination for film of the year so far. It has wit and style and a brilliant cast led by Pete Postlethwaite as the bandleader in charge of the Grimley Colliery Band, a colliery that is in the process of being shut down in this country's foolish attitude to manufacturing. It's not a film I would normally be interested in, after all, it's about a brass band, unemployment and northern folk. Not really my cup of tea, but I was intrigued and besides which, it's not often you get to go to a film premiere. Yes, this film had its British premiere in our town of Bath and it played to a full house.

Other cast members worthy of note include Stephen Tompkinson (Damien Day in Drop the Dead Donkey) as Pete Postlethwaite's luckless son. His story is skilfully woven into the main plot which revolves fame-like around the band's attempt to win the national brass band contest, and Jim Carter (ooh he's been in loads of TV dramas, you know he was the nasty satanic headmaster in one of the Cracker stories) as an aging teddy boy euphonium player, but this is an ensemble piece and all the actors give excellent performances.

If you don't go to the cinema at any other time, make the effort for this film, it's well worth it.
Ben gives it:yay!yay!yay!yay!yay!

Fiona says:GO AND SEE THIS FILM!!! What a brilliant piece of cinema. The Brits' really do know how to make a bloody good story into a bloody good film. Hollywood take note. David Puttnam did know what he was doing. He just didn't always know what he was saying. (In case you don't know either, he was quoted as saying "The British are coming" on his acceptance of the Oscar for "Chariots of Fire".)

Back to the plot. Ewan McGregor and Tara Fitzgerald are the young romantic leads whilst Pete Postlethwaite, Sue Johnson, Stephen Tompkinson and Melanie Hill play some of the significant older roles. There are loads of other really well known british actors in this film but unfortunately I don't know their names so you'll have to go and see the film to find out who they are. The story opens with the band getting together for a practise under the threat of pit closure. A young girl turns up with her Flugel and asks if she can join in even though she's 'a bit wobbly'. It transpires that she is the granddaughter of Pete P's best friend who died some years earlier of a disgusting lung disease caused by working down the pit. On the grounds that she has been left her grandfather's flugel and she's a right nice bit of totty the men let her stay. Pete P. wants the band to make it to the Brass Band finals at the Albert Hall so therefore they must take part in a day of competitions in neighbouring villages to try and rake in some prize money to cover the cost of their inevitable trip to the big city. Watch the film to see what pitfalls arise. Do they make it to the finals? Do the miners vote to keep the pit open or take the very generous redundancy offer put on the table for a short time only? Do all the wives who want their husbands to stop playing in the band and fight for the pit instead win or lose?

All these questions and a whole heap more can only be answered by seeing the film. There is some swearing and a couple of punches are thrown and someone coughs up blood - ooh, a bit ominous don't you think? - but for the most part this is a very funny film and it's a shame that it probably won't do very well outside this country. If you are reading this page and you come from Papua New Guinea or Portugal or Philadelphia (spot the odd one out of these three!) then bombard your local cinemas and film distributors with demands to see this film. Guess how many stars I'm going to give it?
Fiona gives it:yay!yay!yay!yay!yay!

mail me!back last updated: 24th March 1997