Movie: Brassed Off!
Actor From Previous Movie: Ewan McGregor (Oliver, Andy)
Where to Watch: Netflix
For something so pervasive in British pop culture, you would think the UK Miners Strike would be taught in history classes. As an American, my only knowledge of the strike comes from movies and books where it exists simply as a backdrop to fictional characters’ conflicts. I guess I’ll blame it on how recently it happened and the fact that it wasn’t in the US. I can’t say I learned much of anything about Thatcher’s Administration except in regards to American history.
Brassed Off! isn’t the best movie I’ve seen about the Miners Strike, but it’s the most directly involved. I thought it was neat how it really delved into the struggles of the working class in the UK at this time, while maintaining the main story of brass band composed of miners participating in a music competition. Unfortunately the things that made it stand out from most cheesy underdog stories were also the places where it lacked. Sometimes the melodrama made it too much like a lifetime movie.
The comedy of the movie is pretty typical British humor, so take that as you will. The jokes are just as likely to elicit groans as they are laughs, but it’s all in good fun. I think it’s funny that for all the similarities between British and New York humor (sarcasm, self-deprecation, a soft spot for puns) the styles are so different. I don’t mind the style of comedy, so I thought it was alright but not exceptional.
On Netflix the movie has a 3 out of 5 star rating, and that’s what I would give it too. It wasn’t a bad movie, but it wasn’t very memorable and it lacked finesse. It felt low-budget and super British, but that’s only because it was low-budget and super British. So while it might not be something I watch again, it was enjoyable and cute enough to merit watching once.
interesting concept between british and ny humor I have to check it out...
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