Rating: 
Summary: See It
Review: This movie features a colliery (coal mine) band that mustn't be missed. It is unbelievably good. In the days of active mining, many mines had their own brass bands and this real band is probably the best ever assembled from among uneducated men who spend their working lives in the dank, dark passages of a coal mine and practice their music at night.The story centers about the band and the miners who have been laid off because Margaret Thatcher has close hundreds of collieries who could not compete with foreign coal any longer. The government officials pretend that they want the mine left open, but they have already been ordered to close it. The story line is not only correct in what actually happened to mines, but it also contains a budding love affair between Tara Fitzgerald and Ewan McGregor. Like all movies of this type, this one turns out well, but the road to the ending is tense and very entertaining. Well worth while video to have.
Rating:
Summary: An absolute gem of a movie!
Review: The heritage of the English coal mines (collieries as they are called) has been a mixed one of industrial production, labor strife and music. Music? Indeed, the existence and competition of employee brass bands formed as a diversionary activity for the miners is overlooked by most people born outside of the English coal mining commmunities. What began as a mild diversion has since provided a rich legacy of music that should not be ignored. But musical legacy notwithstanding, there are other factors at play in this wonderful little movie like the Tory policies of Margaret Thatcher's U.K. and the forced closure of many mines over recent years. The idyllic (although certainly not prosperous) existence of one such group of miners is attacked on two fronts; first by threats to close down the colliery, but the addition of a woman (Tara Fitzgerald) to the all male ensemble is even more unsettling. Her talent as a flugelhornist is as bothersome to the members of the band, as her beauty is to one bandmate in particular (Ewen MacGregor). Ms. Fitzgerald has to be the best kept secret in the British cinema as she combines fantastic ability with an almost sublime beauty. I'd rent a "How to Fix a Flat Tire" movie if it featured Tara's face and lyrical voice. Besides the lovely Ms. Fitzgerald, two other actors stand out. Ewen MacGregor shows more range in this role than both of his Star Wars appearances thus far (he also has a much better script to work with). And Pete Postlethwaite would have received an Academy Award nomination had more people simply seen this movie. Postlethwaite is something of a British William H. Macy; he's always rock solid in his character and talented enough to give uniqueness to each character he plays. Faced with the extinction of their jobs and way of life, the members of the Grimley Colliery Band rally around their leader (Postlethwaite) as they battle economics, black lung and an evolving world. Their quest is to win the nationwide band competition at Prince Albert Hall. Despite a misstep or two along the way, usually aided by an extra pint at the pub, they work their way into the finals. Beyond that, you'll have to watch the movie. But no discussion about Brassed Off would be complete without mentioning the music. You could find sufficient enjoyment from the music alone. The soundtrack, performed by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band will appeal to almost everyone. It's become one of my family's favorite CD's as well.
Rating:
Summary: Don't like brass bands/orchestras? Get this anyway!
Review: I got this movie because I love the english humor. Snapper and the like. I didn't expect to like it as much as I do. The story is a good one to boot. It is based in truth and is well worth a look. If you hate brass bands, Get this anyway. If you love that type of music, Get this for sure.
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