Rating: 
Summary: Man, is this a good movie
Review: I rented this film and, as is my wont, I watched it while reading a newspaper or a magazine--really did it a disservice. I had the vague feeling I had missed something, so I bought the DVD, and I've watched the film now 3 or 4 times. It gets better upon repeat viewings. If you watch it, REALLY watch it. There are so many throwaway lines (e.g., "Little Feat. One point") that you just won't catch if you're not paying attention.The music is just great--very believable rock written by some people from bands of the era (Foreigner, ELO, Squeeze). The actors are perfectly cast. I especially loved Bill Nighy in the role of lead singer Ray--a fragile, aging rocker who makes your heart melt with embarrassment most of the time he's on screen. If you love the old warhorse 70s bands, you'll love this film.
Rating: 
Summary: Surprisingly good; dominated by Bill Nighy
Review: "Big Name" stars Stephen Rea (as keyboard player 'Tony Costello') and Billy Connolly (as prototypical rock band roadie 'Hughie' - no last name known or required) are front-loaded into the credits of this 1999 release detailing the fanciful reunion of splintered 1960s British rock group 'Strange Fruit.' No matter. The film is lorded over by supposed lesser-light Bill Nighy, portraying the David Lee Roth-like, completely self-absorbed lead singer 'Ray Simms.' Try taking your eyes off Nighy when he's on the screen...especially during his spleen-venting histrionics on-stage. This is Grade A stuff. And, for once, US marketers got it right: the cover box features Rea and fellow band members pushed far to the back, with a preening Nighy front and center in classic rock superstar regalia and pout. That's exactly the way the movie feels. We rented 'Still Crazy' as a 'second movie' throw-in & wound up being totally enchanted by it. Frankly, I can't even remember the other film, ostensibly our 'big viewing' for the weekend. I'll bet 'Still Crazy' - and especially Nighy - has that effect on you, too. It's definitely worth checking out.
Rating:
Summary: A surprisingly good film
Review: We rented this on impulse because it had Billy Connolly. The description reminded us of This Is Spinal Tap (which we love) and we greatly enjoyed the movie. Bill Nighy's clueless Ray was really wonderful and Stephen Rea as keyboardist Tony Costello was enjoyable to watch but the scene-stealer was Timothy Spall's Bilbo Baggot, the drummer. I just about fell off my seat when he finds out that his most vivid memory of touring is when the Fruit played the Hollywood Bowl--only to hear they never played there. And Billy Connolly is always a treat to watch, whatever he does.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite video of 1999
Review: Favorite movie of 1999 - Sixth Sense. Favorite video rental of 1999 - Still Crazy. This movie is a pure joy. This is not a "mockumentary" like Spinal Tap (one of my all-time favorites), but rather a fairly straightforward comedy about a 60s/70s British rock band trying to make a comeback. The "Ray" character is sympathetic and hilarious at the same time...a wonderful character. The performances are outstanding, the comedy sometimes subtle, sometimes broad, and the music is awesome (I own the soundtrack and would highly recommend it to anyone, even people who haven't seen the movie). My wife and I watched the movie 3 times in one month...that's how much we enjoyed it. So, when's Strange Fruit coming to town!
Rating:
Summary: My favorite video of 1999
Review: Favorite movie of 1999 - Sixth Sense. Favorite video rental of 1999 - Still Crazy. This movie is a pure joy. This is not a "mockumentary" like Spinal Tap (one of my all-time favorites), but rather a fairly straightforward comedy about a 60s/70s British rock band trying to make a comeback. The "Ray" character is sympathetic and hilarious at the same time...a wonderful character. The performances are outstanding, the comedy sometimes subtle, sometimes broad, and the music is awesome (I own the soundtrack and would highly recommend it to anyone, even people who haven't seen the movie). My wife and I watched the movie 3 times in one month...that's how much we enjoyed it. So, when's Strange Fruit coming to town!
Rating: 
Summary: I`m Not Too Crazy About It
Review: This british movie about a 70`s rock band named "Strange Fruit" that makes a comeback isn`t funny enough to be a sucessful comedy neither deep enough to qualify as a drama. It`s a competent, at times moving picture, not too memorable but mildly enjoyable. The acting is fine, but the plot, that focuses the band members effort to became famous again, isn`t very absorbing or grabbing.
What we end up having here is a little movie about the music business, showing how those who had sucess in their youth react when they aren`t so stellar today and have to deal with their aging process. Mildly interesting, even if it`s another movie to watch once and be done with it. I`m not sorry I watched it, but I don`t feel the need to watch it again.
Rating:
Summary: Nostalgia Has Never Been So Humourous!
Review: This movie is tremendous for uplifting the Spirits. To begin, the soundtrack is unbelievable. Mick Jones (Foreigner) and Chris Difford (Squeeze) penned the songs, making Strange Fruit the best thing that ever hit today's music scene. Unfortunately, Strange Fruit are a strictly fictitional band of the late 1960's to early 1970's. To complicate matters, they were never a hit to begin with, due to drug use and inner fighting. One wonders what might have been, while listening to their fanatastic music play throughout. The Fruit draw inspiration from The Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, David Bowie, and The Who. Each member of Fruit are quite memorable. Stephen Rea stars as down-and-dead-broke Tony Costello, who is asked by a festival promoter to reunite his band for a reunion tour, with hopes of reaping monetary benefits. Costello haply approaches ex-roadie Karen Knowles, played by Juliet Aubrey, to help him rekindle the flame of a dream long past. Juliet gathers up the bitter rhythm guitarist Jimmy Nail (Les Wickes), blundering Timothy Spall (David 'Beano' Baggot), and the extravagantly glamouresque lead singer Ray Simms (Bill Nighy). Tumbling in is another ex-roadie, the hippy-toker-jokester Hughie (Billy Connolly), who never let the flame burn out. As Juliet searches for the last member of their motley band, the elusive lead guitarist-songwriter Brian Lovell (played by the brooding Bruce Robinson), the reunited members squabble, just like old times, fighting over long lost memories. The band is then given the chance to do a small Dutch tour, to prepare for their promised festival. With young Hendrix-like Luke Shand (Hans Matheson) taking the place of Lovell, the crew hits the road. The sparks fly as their memories flame forward, threatening to burn their unfinished goals... Be prepared to laugh, sing, cheer, and cry, as these memorable characters etch themselves into your hearts... "And the flame still burns
It's there in my soul for that unfinished goal
And the flame still burns
From a glimmer and then, it lights up again
In my life"
Rating:
Summary: Still Crazy
Review: wow! much too short, quite inspiring, and altogether wonderful! don't miss it, and stick with it to the very end of the titles.
Rating:
Summary: great cast in a fun film about a 70s-band reunion
Review: This movie is quite entertaining. It has a great cast and none of the performers are wasted: Stephen Rea is the sweet guy who wants the band to take advantage of a reunion and achieve the success that internal bickering and problems cost them years ago; Billy Connolly is a hoot as the band's pragmatic roadie; Bill Nighy captures dim-witted preening lead singer Ray without making him unsympathetic; Timothy Spall brings laughs as the drummer still living in the past ('If women are from Venus and men are from Mars, drummers are from Pluto'); Jimmy Nail is the guitarist with grudges, regrets and a nice voice; and Juliet Aubrey is engaging as the woman who was a fan/runner and steps in as manager for the group. Though the two younger supporting roles aren't given much to do, that leaves more screen time for the adult characters, each of whom is three-dimensional, sympathetic and interesting. Billy Connolly's voiceovers are well-written and fun, and while not every joke works, there are many one-liners that you will make you laugh the next day. You can see bits of your favorite 70s bands paid tribute, from Pink Floyd to Deep Purple, with insight and affection and the songs, written by veterans of Foreigner and Squeeze, are quite good. The film is very funny for the first half and then takes a few missteps as the drama quotient is elevated, but it finds its way again before the close. All in all, a lot of fun from a fine cast and talented crew, just the ticket for music fans with a sense of humor. DVD features include: English, Spanish or Portuguese sound and English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean or Thai subtitles; a short making-of featurette; a trailer; and filmographies for director Gibson and some of the cast members.
Rating:
Summary: Art Imitates Life: 70's Rock Band Reunites
Review: The decade of the 90's saw the re-emergence of several rock bands of the 70's. Deep Purple, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Black Sabbath, Yes (the classic lineup), and The Doobie Brothers, among others, all came back loud and proud as ever, much to the delight of those of us who grew up during their heyday. So it was only natural, and also much to our delight, that a movie about such a band was made. Strange Fruit, actually a fictitious rock group, could very well have been a real-life band. All the requisite elements are here: the member who meets an untimely death by drug overdose (were you expecting a sky-diving accident?), the guitarist who mysteriously disappears, the artistic differences, and the internal bickering that eventually leads to the group's breakup. Not to mention the long hair, the denim jeans and jackets, and of couse, the music. Not surprisingly, the personality clashes that led to Strange Fruit's demise in the 70's resurface during the reunion phase, threatening to again tear the band apart. Art imitates life once again here, as this situation is reminiscent of the problems that beset Deep Purple, specifically guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and vocalist Ian Gillan, during the 70's and again after their reunion in the 90's. As we watch the Fruits go through the difficult times once again, we react with genuine involvement and concern, hoping they will pull through, but at the same time wondering if the years have made them mature enough to handle the situation. Admittedly, this film's appeal is far from universal. If you like rock music, if you are or were the type to not just listen to your favorite bands but also read about them in Rolling Stone, if you rejoiced in the comebacks of the great rock acts of the 70's, and most of all, if you hate disco, this is one movie you will definitely enjoy.
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