Brassed Off (1996)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Ross C

  
  Quaint little story about miners from a Northern England town losing their quarry but finding unity in their brass band.

• Anthony L

  
  Certainly not as bad as all the other horrible Comedy/Dramas of the time, it's not that bad at all but it does suffer many of the cliches and is a little insulting towards our northern friends (yet it was made by northerners, so what you gonna do?) I'm guess the producers… More
  Certainly not as bad as all the other horrible Comedy/Dramas of the time, it's not that bad at all but it does suffer many of the cliches and is a little insulting towards our northern friends (yet it was made by northerners, so what you gonna do?) I'm guess the producers pinch might be at fault here but still, this is as good as it got. PS. Flixster has got the date wrong, this came out in 1994! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In retrospect, this film deserves another star just for the late great Pete Postethwaite's brilliant performance!

• Dan S

  
  A lovable, if formulaic and slightly predictable, film concerning a dying town in England which has been ravaged by poor politicians, and how the citizens there interact and keep each other's spirits strong through the use of forming their own music band. The real reason to see… More
  A lovable, if formulaic and slightly predictable, film concerning a dying town in England which has been ravaged by poor politicians, and how the citizens there interact and keep each other's spirits strong through the use of forming their own music band. The real reason to see this movie is for the late great Pete Postlethwaite, who is one of the best actors ever in my opinion, and he once again delivers a stunning performance as the band's emotional orchestrator. As said, it is not a perfect movie and at one point it threatens to get a bit too into the dark aspects of it, but Postlethwaite's performance coupled with a well-paced plot and incredibly satisfying ending makes this one a winner in the end.

• Lanning :

  
  All band music fans must see this. Reminds me of a cross between <i>Billy Elliot</i> and <i>Drumline</i>. Coal may be dead, but music never ever dies. Is it really true that everything, in the end, is political? Really, the most fun I've ever had… More
  All band music fans must see this. Reminds me of a cross between <i>Billy Elliot</i> and <i>Drumline</i>. Coal may be dead, but music never ever dies. Is it really true that everything, in the end, is political? Really, the most fun I've ever had watching Pete Postlethwaite, and it's a very -- please forgive me -- sweet love story to boot. I've seen Tara Fitzgerald work the camera before, but this time it's official: I'm in love. Tara, you can play flügelhorn with me any time. Ewan, keep at the acting lessons.

• Michael S

  
  One of the best FEEL GOOD movies ever made. On par with the Full Monty. A complete gem.

• Candy R

  
  Movie about a brass band against the backdrop of coal mining.

• jay n

  
  lovely little gem with wonderful brass band score

• xGary X

  
  Sigh...yet another british comedy, the usual formula strictly adhered to, this time with a brass band. The cast is definitely a cut above the usual, but what's the point...?

• Michael G

  
  I was it once and remember thinking it was okay. I can't tell you any more. The walls have ears...

• Luke B

  
  A British classic. Not so much a comedy as a moving drama with incredible performances from all. Perfectly captures the decay of the mining industry, while not sacrificing the romance and charm. Bless.

• Theta S

  
  Set in the mid 1990's against the backdrop of post-Miners Strike Yorkshire, Brassed Off centres around the fictional town of Grimley where the local Coal pit has been earmarked for closure, the local brass band leader Danny (Pete Postlethwaite) is struggling to prevent the break… More
  Set in the mid 1990's against the backdrop of post-Miners Strike Yorkshire, Brassed Off centres around the fictional town of Grimley where the local Coal pit has been earmarked for closure, the local brass band leader Danny (Pete Postlethwaite) is struggling to prevent the break up of the band as well. Gloria (Tara Fitzgerald) returns to her home town and becomes the band's only female member and star flugel horn player, whilst having to hide the fact that she is writing a viability study to decide the fate of the mine. All the while, young band member Andy (Ewan McGregor) is hoping that she's come back to sort out the "unfinished business" of a childhood fumble behind the bus station. To add to Danny's woes, his son Phil (Stephen Tompkinson) has his own troubles. Broke, with a broken trombone, debt collectors on the doorstep and wife seeking to leave him... these are troubles that even his alter ego, Mr Chuckles the clown, can't fix. In the face of the impending pit closure and Danny's failing health, can the band make one final tilt at the National Championship at the Royal Albert Hall? Brassed Off is one my favourites for several reasons, including one very personal reason. I'll get the personal reason out of the way first, Brassed Off was my late Grand-dad's favourite film and it never failed to get both a tear and a smile out of him every time he watched it. Now to the other reasons, the writing of Brassed Off is clever and works on different levels. The plight of the town's pit is echoed alongside Danny's personal plight - whilst the town is threatened to have the guts ripped out of it by the pit closure, Danny's own life is threatened to have the guts ripped out of it - both physically through the illness of breathing in coal dust and emotionally through the impending break up of the band. In addition to this, you see the conflicts facing the characters at different levels. Against the backdrop of the miners threatening to tear each other apart over the redundancy package, this is shown at a more intimate level as the news of Gloria's true reasons for returning to Grimley threaten to tear apart the fledgling romance between her and Andy. The music is of an extremely high quality with a score by Trevor Jones that keys into the emotion of the film whilst acknowledging the roots of the film. In addition to this are songs including Floral Dance, Jerusalem, William Tell Overture and Danny Boy are performed by The Grimethorpe Colliery Band. To match the script and the music are blistering performances by an ensemble group of actors at the top of their game and it feels a shame to single out performances. Ewan McGregor and Tara Fitzgerald are believable as the reunited lovers, Andy and Gloria, on the verge of rekindling their relationship all the while under the threat of being torn apart by the events going on and the opinions of Andy's friends. Stephen Tompkinson portrayal of Phil is both tragic and poignant throughout. What starts as a man who is trying to make ends meet following past events becomes a man who loses his wife, children and most tellingly, hope. Particularly powerful is the scene where he describes the unfairness of his situation in the guise of Mr Chuckles at a children's harvest festival prior to making a suicide attempt. Last, and by certainly no means least, is the performance of the late, great Pete Postlethwaite as Danny. I could try to put many adjectives to his performance - magnetic, powerful and driven being amongst them. Suffice it to say, Postlethwaite's performance is the driving force behind the emotion for the film - especially towards the film's conclusion. If you haven't seen this film, please give it a go. Whilst the character of Danny says that it's "music that matters", the music is a contributing factor but great stories about people with brilliant actors are why we go to the cinema.

• Christopher O

  
  This film affirms how strong spirit can overcome hardship any time. Set in Yorkshire during the mid 90's miner strikes. It center on a mine which may close and definitely affect the small community who keeps their spirits up with the company band or orchestra. The leader Danny… More
  This film affirms how strong spirit can overcome hardship any time. Set in Yorkshire during the mid 90's miner strikes. It center on a mine which may close and definitely affect the small community who keeps their spirits up with the company band or orchestra. The leader Danny played wonderfully by Pete Postlethwaite tries to keep his band together in more ways than one including keeping his troubled son on the straight and narrow while Danny faces health problems associated with mine work. Ewan McGregor and Tara Fitzgerald play the young love interests who reunite but the girl may be in the band for the wrong reasons. Postlethwaite's film ending speech will put chills down your back. A uplifting and funny film as well as heartwarming.

• Angela A

  
  This was a lovely feel-good movie. Although, it would have been better if they'd at least tried to make certain actors learn how to play their instruments (very funny if you're watching the fingering)!

• Sarah B

  
  Completely and utterly British, I love it.

Read all 14 featured audience ratings