I was invited along to a test screening of "Clubbed" earlier this year and have to admit that I was blown away by it. The makers gave a brief speech up front about the history of the film. It is based on a best selling book and is a true story. The film is much better looking than I was expecting. It is more like a gritty Working Title kind of film than a Ken Loach. It is the story of a man who is brutally attacked in front of his children, his life falls apart then he meets the highly enigmatic Louis (Colin Salmon from Alien vs Predator) and is drawn into the world of the nightclub. The film picks up a massive pace then as events begin to roller coaster and things start to go really wrong! There is a great twist too!
There was a lot to like about this film. It looks great and it really really moved me. Especially knowing it is true. It is quite harrowing in places but has enough humour in it not to drag you down. The soundtrack is spectacular and has tracks from Chic, Sister Sledge and Forget Me Nots, the Men in Black tune.
The cast is great. I have not seen the lead guy in anything before but he is AMAZING! Looks like Mel Gibson meets Daniel Day Lewis. Colin Salmon is in there too and this has to be the performance of his life.
To give a balanced review I guess I should put some negatives in but it just really moved me. I was expecting a film about a thug but found a film about a guy who just happens to be in the wrong place and wrong time and is forced to make some really big decisions. There is some fairly heavily violent scenes in there, one springs to mind in particular where the woman next to me put her paper over her head, and the language is quite heavy. But there was a big age range in the theatre and everyone seemed to love it. it got a standing ovation at the end!
The film makers said it will be out towards August or September. I think this film is the next Long Good Friday. Actually it is a bit like a cross between the Full Monty and The Long Good Friday. Go see this film!!!
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