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THE FULL MONTY
1/2
Jack Choo
Directed by Peter Cattaneo
Starring : Robert Carlyle (Gaz)
Tom Wilkinson (Gerald)
Mark Addy (Dave)
Written by Simon Beaufoy
Running Time : 1hr 40mins
Rating : **** 1/2 out of *****
Website: Cinema 1 Full Monty Website
STRIPTEASE .... BRIT STYLE!
![[ Errr... Takin' it off ]](/film/images/fullmonty.jpg)
Trailing the success of brit humour in the movie industry with the likes of the semi-dramatic THE COMMITMENTS and the slapstick A FISH CALLED WANDA, THE FULL MONTY is one film which delivers the depth of the former and the humour and magnitude of the l atter. The film opens with a narrated documentary reel showing the improving economic and living standards of Sheffield in the 60's, then cuts to the harsh reality of the present. Sheffield has become some sort of a semi-slum with the only visible increas e in anything was the amount of layoffs from steel-factories; a once flourishing industry.
Gaz (Carlyle) spends most of his time in the Worker's Club, a sort of place where jobless people sit around to wait for job offers. He and his "plump" friend Dave (Addy) as well as their former foreman Gerald (Wilkinson) have been sitting around the cl ub for months without any "call for duty." What seemed like a bad break for Gaz has transformed itself into desperation when he cannot a passing fford the 700 pounds of child-support money to his ex-wife. Suddenly facing the possiblity of losing custody o f his son, he goes on to concoct an enterprising wild-idea to get the money he desperately requires.
Dave and Gerald too have problems of their own. On top of his lack of employment, Dave is also faced with the paranoia of his wife leaving him because of his current financial state as well as his "plump" appearance, while Gerald have been cheating on his wife by not telling her of his layoff for as long as 6 months, leaving home for "work" when he was actually a long-standing member of the Worker's Club. There we have it; people with real problems and a not-so-practical solution for them. Gaz manages to get the support from them and sure enough they managed to get a few other poor jobless blokes to join in their gag : to perform a strip-act at the local pub. In Gaz's own words while looking at an add for a strip-act featuring hunky `beautiful' men, "I f women are willing to pay for this, they sure as well will pay for REAL-men."
THE FULL MONTY is very simple in nature and not a trace ambitious at all. It is a small film which delves in the harsh-reality of unemployment and the desperation it drives people to. It also is a very light movie to watch despite the theme it delves i nto because it has a lot of human-factor going for it. Never for once, did it try to be manipulative at all -- THE FULL MONTY was true to itself all the way. While the hilarity level of this film soared unexpectedly high, audience will find that they are in no way being cheated of a laugh, something lacking in many comedy films (wannabes?) from Hollywood.
![[ Errr... Some women like 'em ]](/film/images/fullmonty4.jpg)
Other than Carlyle, who acted as the psychotic Begbie in TRAINSPOTTING, the rest of the actors were definitely very new to me on-screen. However, the acting presented in this film is more than satisfying. Carlyle's work here is in stark contrast to his character in TRAINSPOTTING, implying real acting skill and flexibility on-screen. Kudos to the people involved in this film, especially to director Peter Cattaneo for being able to put together an excellent film which is has so much potential in ending u p as your just-another-STRIPTEASE.
Already a critical and financial success for such a small film, THE FULL MONTY is a humble film which deserves applause throughout. While TITANIC managed to feast the eyes and soul in an epic way, THE FULL MONTY gives one the same satisfactionÖÖ.in hal f the time.
The Flying Inkpot's Rating System
* Wait for the TV2 broadcast.
** A little creaky, but still better than staying at home with Tonight With Gurmit.
*** Pretty good, bring a friend.
**** Amazing, potent stuff.
***** Perfection. See it twice.
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Other Resources at The Flying InkpotHome Readers' Comments
From: Leon Chia (art41678@leonis.nus.edu.sg)
Yes, amazing film of almost faultless unity! Must be one of the few where the conclusion is so predictable and yet the resolution is so satisfying, and the whole trip marvellously paced at that.
From: Wayne ()
From: Wayne (Wayne&Garth@Wayne'sWorld.com)
errrm, i dunno how to say this exactly, but i totally think that The Full Monty doesn't deserve even half the credit that it got... i mean, what's with the fascination of hollywood (not to mention the rest of the world in its herd mentality) with Brit films that are low budget and built on cheapo plots that although honest, sincere and quietly funny, aren't really anything beyond a long TV movie? i mean i liked Trainspotting, and I liked the last 30 minutes of The English Patient (not the rest of it though, i thought that stuff was crappy)... but The Full Monty comes across as just ordinary... so what's the big deal. It isn't like stupendously funny, and if you want sincere, then look at James Cameron being so unabashedly shameless with his epic and stilted with his dialogue in TITANIC because he really really sincerely and honestly loves his craft of film-making... I thought Fully Monty was OKAY at best, and nothing more... especially not worth an Oscar nomination!!!
From: kenneth ()
Very good movie on an obviously limited budget. It was also nice to see some new faces and a lack of too familiar "character actors" which keep cropping up in mainstream hollywood films.
From: weiwen (weiboon@pacific.net.sg)
Its the songs (not even original for Full Monty) that make the movie popular...THE SONGS.
From: d@v (dandav@indigo.ie)
I THOUGHT YOUR FILM WAS GREAT.I LOVED THE BIT WHEN YOU THREW YOUR HATS AWAY.I THOUGHT IT SHOUD HAVE WON ALL THE OSCARS.
From: DWAYNE (dsimpson@acay.com.au)
I THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT AND IT WAS FUNNY WHEN AT THE END WHEN THEY LET GO OF THERE HATS AND THE STAGE LIGHT IS SHINING THROUGH THE OLD GUYS BACKSIDE THAT'S IF YOU NOTICED
