The Commitments

source: The Commitments

I checked the video box and, yes, I did watch the same movie everyone else is raving about. I play rhythm guitar in an informal blues/jam band, so I can appreciate the subject matter of the film. However, I was unable to give The Commitments more than a 5 out of 10. My main problem with the film was the rapid fire, unintelligible dialogue. I stopped rewinding and replaying once I realized that, ***SPOILERS AHEAD** if their voices were low they were imagining how soul music would change their lives (yeah, right), or if it was loud it was the band members about get into another fight. Do Irish people really treat each other that way? The exchange of dialogue between the actors was also so rapid as to be unbelievable. The unfolding of the story and the characters were hard for me to believe, too. "Hey, I've been unemployed for 3 years, but I suddenly have a clear vision of exactly what kind of band to put together, and the motivation to do so!" Then, "Hey, here's this veteran musician that has nothing to do but answer a newspaper ad, and will join us and show us the ropes"! Then "We'll practice awhile, then sound great!" Bloooody s***e, anya upinya bullocks, fookin deadly s***e. Aye. Not trying to be a jerk, but this film looked like it was written in a day and filmed in a week. Subtitles would help, too, for those of us who speak English.

That's quite a billing, but by the end of the film I can almost guarantee that you'll feel the group have lived up to it. If only they'd managed to hold it together - but then it wouldn't have been poetry... I can't be anymore blunt and truthful than to say that I adore this film. Right from its visually plain credits, the restless Irish soul music performed entirely by the youthful cast should get your feet tapping. Then Alan Parker takes us to an urban landscape that might be gray, but by God it's bustling. We can relate to Jimmy Rabitte immediately: the youthful entrepreneur who has innate confidence in his own salesmanship, and in his pre-fame existence grants imaginary interviews from the comfort of his bathtub. He's approached to provide guidance for some friends who are struggling to make their mark as musicians. Soon they have a direction and are banding together by applying for more members. A call is sent out far and wide that the Irish brothers are in need of some soul... Almost every member of the group is memorable and has their own particular idiosyncrasies. There's a palpable sense of adventure as they start out and their potential rapidly expands, because when they're on stage together they click. All of this success is undercut in a typically understated and deadpan example of Irish wit from Jimmy Rabitte Sr. He himself fancies the perks of stardom but isn't brave enough to pursue them, so instead is limited to crooning into a sauce bottle at home. In a very funny film its one of several memorable roles, but this time with a recognisable face playing it: Colm Meaney of "Star Trek" and "Con Air" fame. He isn't the only 'hidden talent' in the family either - look out for Andrea Corr as Jimmy Jr's younger sister! Natural performances and earthy humour combined with raw talent make this a winner from start to finish. Please don't miss this, otherwise you'll kick yourself. I'm very tempted to give a good shake to anybody who hasn't seen it yet, myself. It's an absolutely fantastic film!

In what may have been Alan Parker's (happy birthday, Alan!) best movie ever, a gaggle of working-class youths in Dublin decide to form a soul band. It's hard for say which is the movie's best aspect: the look at working-class life in Ireland, or the soundtrack. You feel a little depressed seeing people's lives - as expected, families have more children than anyone cares to count - but also feel like jumping up and dancing as they play their music. Anyway, "The Commitments" is a really great little movie. The great soundtrack, fascinating characters, and other things combine to create something that everyone should see. I guess that any Roddy Doyle novel adapted into a movie starring Colm Meaney is sure to come out masterful (the others were "The Snapper" and "The Van").

I remember well the (MTV) hype surrounding TC. One would have thought that Jesus wrote and directed this movie, the way it was pushed by the media, the video clip having been played incessantly by every music programme/channel. Fact is, it's a decent little movie, but absolutely nothing special - especially if you get headaches, the way I do, when exposed to more than 3 seconds of so-called "soul" music. (Is it called that way because it kills the soul?) There are obvious similarities to Parker's earlier "Fame". The one that sticks out the most is how adamant Parker must have been in picking out an ugly bunch (with very few exceptions) once again. (It's the old "ugly people = realism" credo.) Still, no need to panic: the cast of TC is not nearly as visually unappealing as the one in "Fame". However, unlike "Fame", which gets serious occasionally, this Irish-based rags-to-almost-riches story can be classified as a comedy. A comedy musical, alas. The second half features far too many musical numbers, and they drag on for too long. As I said, "soul" can be rather migraine-inducing; it is rather simplistic, unimaginative, lowest-common-denominator music, designed to please the true tone-deaf non-connoisseurs among music fans. Andrew Strong may have a great voice for this dull style, but whenever a (white) guy tries to imitate the annoying throat-barks of James Brown, or that overrated bore Joe Cocker, I am overcome with an urge to throw things at whatever the source of the sound may be. Strong is also the funniest cast member. If it's true that Parker picked out only non-actors for the band, then hats off to him, because there is nothing wrong with the acting; there is very little to indicate that all these people were amateurs. That, naturally, also brings us to the distinct possibility that basically anyone can act - given the right director. The bleedin' obvious, of course... There aren't any true laugh-out-loud moments, but the gags don't totally bomb, either. TC is basically interesting rather than funny. One of the things I liked is that musicians and singers are portrayed as the true morons they (mostly) are in real life. As far as Bronagh is concerned: if you've never seen her, just try to visualize the name "BRONAGH" and you might come close to imagining her face. It's no wonder Lucas had her killed off within minutes of the start of "Phantom Menace". Why is one of the Corr sisters in the movie, but without a singing part?

I first saw this movie on Pay Per View on a Sunday morning. It was probably the best movie I saw the entire year. Funny, great music, and also kinda touching in a way.

I've just watched 'The Commitments' for about the 100 time and everytime I see it it's like watching it for the very first time. It doesn't get very much better than this, let me tell you that! Some really superb acting by Andrew Strong. Even if he's not really an actor, is he. I've seen him live once, as for summer of 1998 in the very south of Sweden, and he was terrific! However, as written the movie was really superb with lots of views of how some people live in Ireland. That's all for me, Regards, Jens Jadesjö.

I love this film. Everything about it might seem like it is just another cliche ridden story about the rise and fall of a band, but this movie is totally different somehow. It rises above anything previous in its genre. The characters are all both interesting, and their personality flaws are used to greatly illustrate the ending of the movie. The writing was superb, and acting from a cast of mostly unknowns top notch. The musical sequences were great, and served as an introduction for me to the songs and artists that they covered. Colm Meaney was hilarious as the very skeptical father of Jimmy.

This film is about a bunch of deprived people in a slum area forming a band. They hope to make it big with their soul music. I find "The Commitments" tedious and boring. The characters engage in endless tirade, shouting profanities at each other constantly. The way they treat each other is simply sad. The clothes they wear are all dismally coloured. Furthermore, the film is set in a deprived area, meaning unattractive sets and locations. All these things make the film unattractive to me. It is made worse by the poor lighting. Many scenes are poorly lit. A scene featuring the tour bus going down the road is a prime example. The cameraman obviously focused on the sky, making the road, houses and the bus very dark. "The Commitments" sounds like an uplifting film with heart and soul. But I was wrong. It is dismal, hostile and unlikable.