Synopsis: This is a juke box musical using songs by The Proclaimers - Two squaddies return home after a tour in Afghanistan and start to build their new life and find love on civvy street.
Stan's thoughts: Anyone who reads my theatre blog will know that I don't like musicals but I think it's important to test out my prejudice every now again and the cinema is cheaper than the theatre.
I decided to give this particular one a go after hearing an interview with director Dexter Fletcher on Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo's Radio 5 film show. Aside from the great cast (Jane Horrocks, Jason Flemyng, Peter Mullan etc) he talked about the finale which ended up as a flash mob.
And that's the only bit I actually liked. I'm not going to lie, I did nearly walk out but the prospect of the flash mob gave me something to cling to.
The songs slow everything down and (for me) add little. The stories are normally weak and in this instance contrived to fit in The Proclaimers back catalogue - you just know someone is going to go to America so they can sing Letters from America.
I'm sure plenty of people will like this, the ratings below indicate as much, so just ignore me. Musicals still aren't my genre.
Ratings- Stan's: 20%
- IMDB: 77%
- Metascore: 66%
- Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
- RT audience rating: 78%
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