Film Review: Fisherman's Friends

"You've Got A Unique Sound And We Believe We Can Help You Get It Released By A Major Label..."

Whilst not at all a film about the origins of the infamous menthol lozenges which just happen to share a similar title, Fisherman's Friends instead brings to the big screen the miraculous rise to fame of the Port Isaac Fisherman's Friends, the ale-loving, overly traditionalist band of male singers who broke into the UK music charts back in 2010. Directed by British filmmaker, Chris Foggin, in his second big screen release after 2016's Kids in Love starring Will Poulter, Fisherman's Friends takes a rather BBC Two approach to a story which airs on the side of cheesy as we see Daniel Mays (The Limehouse Golem) as Danny, an influential and respected music mogul who after venturing on a stag do down to sunny Cornwall with his friends and seedy boss, Troy, as played by Doctor Who legend, Noel Clarke, is asked to sign to his label the local singing group led by the gruff figure of James Purefoy's (Altered Carbon) Jim. Falling somewhere between the annoying flatness of The Aftermath and the well executed splendour of Colette, Fisherman's Friends is the type of film which feels nicely planted in the background of an afternoon tea, and whilst films of similar ilk aren't necessarily entirely bad, they do beg the question why the feel the need to be up on the big screen in the first place.   

Shot with the same kind of televisual aesthetic you'd get from an episode of Countryfile, Fisherman's Friends ticks all the boxes you sort of expect when heading into a movie based on what pretty much is Cornwall's answer to Led Zeppelin, and with a cheerful, ludicrously mood-inducing soundtrack which wouldn't seem amiss on a jukebox for the near-dead, Foggin's movie absolutely reeks of cliche and gag-inducing corniess from the offset. With Mays offering the sort of semi-likeable, leather jacket toting lead performance as he blunders his way through the smell of salt water and seagulls, the real standout of the piece is undoubtedly Purefoy, who superbly radiates a sense of internal conflict as he balances new found fame with the responsibilities of a life both inland and on the fair seas, and with the interactions between the group in general pretty well handled, it's sort of a shame that all of the top-end jokes were spoiled in the trailers, resulting in a resounding silence as everyone else laughed in the cinema apart from me when they inevitably arrived. Topping up just under two hours, it's no surprise that the movie does become an absolute drag as it finally arrives at its destination without harming anyone at all in the process, Fisherman's Friends isn't exactly bad, it's just A Star is Born for the Cornish minus all the good parts and a film more than suitable for your bed-ridden aunt. Bring the tea and biscuits. 

 Overall Score: 5/10

Film Review: I, Daniel Blake

"When You Lose Your Self Respect You're Done For..."

Although not exactly the self-proclaimed lover of all things Cannes related, my awareness of this years' winner of the prestigious if rather sanctimonious Palme d'Or was brought to my attention when it was announced Ken Loach had won the award for the second time, only the ninth filmmaker to win the award more than once, with his first win being for The Wind That Shakes The Barley in 2006. With his most recent award winning venture. I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach has created a down-to-earth, sociopolitical drama which takes the continual perils of life in modern day England into the hands of Dave Johns' titular Daniel Blake who explores the desperation and downfalls of the British state with the film portraying one person's view regarding the maligned and wholly disenchanted nature of the welfare system in the UK as a whole. Although the film has no chance to admire both sides of the coin, with Ken Loach focusing primarily on the benefactors, or in this case, lack of benefactors, I, Daniel Blake is indeed a powerful drama, one which has a succession of heartbreaking scenes throughout, but one which is also questionable in its' own notions and statements regarding society today. 

When it comes to the good stuff, even the great stuff, the now infamous scene in the food bank is sure to bring tears to the eyes of anyone with an inch of empathy, whilst any scene in which Haley Squires' Katie takes to the screen adds the real sense of depth that makes I, Daniel Blake the powerful drama that is eventually becomes. Where the film does falter is scenes in which Dave Johns' takes out his frustrations on the lowly workers of the welfare system, those who carry out the rules and regulations of the state without being directly involved in creating them, resulting in a film which takes a leaf out from the ideologies of Ken Loach's and argues the blame of today's issues in society lies solely on everyone even slightly connected to the key rule-makers. Although this might not be the case, the film certainly seemed to argue such a point and it is this that makes me appreciate the movie to a large extent but also prevents me from loving it like many critics have seemed to do. Powerful at times, questionable in others, I, Daniel Blake is effective to a large extent but also suffers from some controversial ideas that conflict with my own, which in itself is the true test of whether a true drama really works; controversy. 

Overall Score: 8/10