Film Review
The massive social impact of post-industrial decline in the north of
England in the wake of the Thatcherite reforms of the 1980s is
powerfully rendered in several social realist dramas of the early
1990s, most notably Ken Loach's
Riff-Raff (1991). As
grim as the subject is it also inspired a spate of social realist
comedies, two of which proved to be box office hits and have achieved
lasting acclaim. In a similar vein to Mark Herman's
Brassed Off (1996), Peter
Cattaneo's
The Full Monty
(1997) draws humour from the most depressing of circumstances and shows
how a disparate ensemble of unemployed men regain their self-esteem in
the most unlikely way, by banding together to form a group of male
strippers. When it was released in 1997,
The Full Monty was an instant hit
and became the most successful British film of all time. Its
success was immediately overtaken by that James Cameron's blockbuster
Titanic, which robbed it of the
awards it would undoubtedly have garnered, although it did take the
Best Film BAFTA in 1997 and won an Oscar for its score.
Set in Sheffield in the mid-90s, at a time when a large proportion of
the work force faced a hopeless future living on the dole, thanks
largely to automation of industrial processes and a paucity of
investment in the region, the film does not shy away from the human
consequences of unemployment and a breakdown of social cohesion.
The main protagonists are desperate to find work but have no hope of
doing so, and their dignity and family relationships suffer as a
consequence. This all sounds pretty grim but, incredibly,
The Full Monty is far from grim -
in fact it is one of the most uplifting, life-affirming films you will
ever see. Far from being a cry of despair (as most social realism
is), it offers a chorus of hope, the central thrust of the film being
that, with sufficient determination and self-reliance, life's obstacles
can be overcome, no matter how insurmountable they may seem.
But surely there is something inherently tragic in the idea of ordinary
working class men being driven to take off their clothes in public for
money, just to earn a bit of cash to help them out of their present
crisis? It is hard to imagine a more demeaning fate for anyone, a
more visible sign of the failure of the state. Yet what first
appears to be an act of desperation turns out to be something far
more worthy, an attempt by a group of men to lift themselves off the
floor and regain their own self-worth. Working as a team, they
discover not only a new zest for life, but a realisation that, with
determination and commitment, they can make a go of things. They
don't have to hang around for the government or profit-hungry
industrialists to give them a helping hand. They can achieve
something on their own initiative.
The Full Monty is not about
failure, it about the power of the individual to shape his own destiny.
Whilst it is easy to fault the film on its over-reliance on stereotypes
and its superficial characterisation, it cannot be denied that it has
immense impact, and a fair few moments of genuine poignancy judiciously
slotted in between the more humorous excursions.
The Full Monty may lack depth but
it resonates with sincerity, so convincingly are the main characters
played by a pool of very talented actors. The likeable cast is
headed by Robert Carlyle, an actor who first found fame in social
realist films such as Loach's
Riff-Raff.
More than anything, it is the sparky rapport between the six main
characters that gives the film its humane, realist edge and compels us
to believe in the reality of their situation. None of them has
what may be termed conventional sex appeal and they make the unlikelist
group of strippers you can imagine (unlike subsequent, vastly inferior
rip-offs, the film does not attempt to be erotically
provocative). They are just a bunch of ordinary guys who must
overcome their prejudices and insecurities to achieve a common
aim. What could be more inspiring than that? Comical to the
point of absurdity and yet touchingly true-to-life,
The Full Monty is easily one of the
most engaging and enjoyable British films of the 1990s.
© James Travers 2012
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Film Synopsis
Sheffield, England in the mid-1990s. Unable to find work, former
steelworker Gaz and his best friend Dave are forced to steal scrap
metal so that they can make ends meet. Gaz is behind with his
child support payments and knows that unless he gets back on track he
will not be able to see his son Nathan again. Meanwhile, Dave's
anxieties over his unemployment have left him impotent.
When he sees a crowd of women lining up to attend a performance by the
Chippendales at a local club, Gaz has a sudden bright idea. If
only he can gather together enough unemployed men like himself who are
not afraid to strip in public he should be able to put together a show
for the good womenfolk of Sheffield that will earn him enough to cover
his child support bills. Conscious that he is overweight, Dave
finally agrees to support Gaz in this mad venture and they are soon
joined by a depressive named Lomper, having thwarted his suicide
bid. Aware that he needs a dance choreographer, Gaz persuades his
former boss Gerard, also unemployed, to offer his services. With
two more recruits - the genitally well-endowed Guy and surprisingly
agile oldster Horse - the group finally begins to take shape. To
ensure the act is a success Gaz makes up his mind that they must give
their punters the full monty - total on-stage nudity. The
question is: can they put together a professional-looking strip act or
are they destined to make fools of themselves in front of several
hundred women? Nothing ventured...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.