• Rating:
• Genre: Comedy Drama
• Movie Type: Social Problem Film, Ensemble Film
• Themes: Social Injustice, Labor Unions, Fighting the System
• Director: Mark Herman
• Main Cast: Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald, Ewan McGregor, Jim Carter, Stephen Tompkinson, Philip Jackson
• Release Year: 1996
• Country: UK
• Run Time: 109 minutes
• MPAA Rating: R

Plot

Economics and music are the twin focal points of this comedy/drama about a community in crisis. The small British town of Grimley has long been dominated by the coal mine where most of the men work, and the town's greatest source of pride is the Grimley Colliery Band, a brass ensemble that's won a number of nationwide competitions. Danny (Pete Postlewaite) is a retired miner in poor health who directs the band; a national championship is coming up, and Danny is determined that Grimley will walk away with a trophy. But many of his musicians have other things on their minds: word has it that the mine may soon close down, and, in a city already suffering an economic downturn, this is just short of a death sentence. Adding to the intrigue is the return of Gloria (Tara Fitzgerald), who used to live in Grimley and is back in town for a while on an assignment. While the band has traditionally been all-male, Danny considers bending the rules to allow Gloria in the band, as she's a fine fluglehorn player, but her presence is bad news for the town: she works for the government and is investigating the feasibility of closing down the mine. Ace trumpeter Andy (Ewan McGregor) also has mixed feelings about Gloria; they were once a couple, and he still has feelings for her, but he's not sure he wants to set himself up for another breakup. The real-life Grimethorpe Colliery Band performs on the soundtrack. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Review

Brassed Off! starts out like a predecessor to The Full Monty, only with trumpets instead of g-strings. It uses similar themes of British blue-collar hardship that Monty took to grand heights of wry humor a year later, but it switches from a light comedy to a heavier melodrama partway through, which may have prevented it from receiving a warmer reception. Still, all the ingredients are there for a generally uplifting tale that's charmingly acted, with lively dialogue full of clipped sentiments that are both funny and thoroughly British. It's probably a better movie for not resorting to easy answers to the massive mine closures, perpetuated by Margaret Thatcher's Tory party, that plagued the workforce in the early '90s. The dour moments, and there are a few, are true to history. Ewan McGregor heads up a cast that includes the lovely Tara Fitzgerald, plus a touching performance from Stephen Tompkinson as a die-hard union man at the end of his rope with his wife and creditors, forced to resort to a second career as a hapless clown named Mr. Chuckles. Pete Postlethwaite is the proud band leader, whose fiery climactic speech is quoted by the musical group Chumbawamba at the beginning of its power-to-the-people hit "Tubthumping." The Grimethorpe Colliery Band provides the score, by turns rousing and pensive, like the movie itself. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Pete Postlethwaite - Danny
• Tara Fitzgerald - Gloria
• Ewan McGregor - Andy
• Jim Carter - Harry
• Stephen Tompkinson - Phil
• Philip Jackson - Jim

Peter Martin - Ernie; Kenneth Colley - Greasley; David Essex - Grimley Colliery Band; Adam Fogerty - Miner; Ken Kitson - Heavy; Stephen Moore - Mackenzie; Ronnie Stevens - Albert Hall Judge; Peter Wallis - Elderly Man; Mark Arnold - Grimley Colliery Band; Michael Kennedy - Grimley Colliery Band; Peter Gunn - Simmo; Mary Healey - Ida; Bernard Wrigley - Chapman; Melanie Hill - Sandra; Sue Johnston - Vera; Lill Roughley - Rita; Adrian Hood - Heavy; Katherine Dow Blyton - Nurse; Paul Hughes - Grimley Colliery Band; Sally Adams - Ward Sister; Tubby Andrews - Bus Driver; Robert Archer - Grimley Colliery Band; Andrew Armstrong - Grimley Colliery Band; David Barraclough - Grimley Colliery Band; Jonathan Beatty - Grimley Colliery Band; Roy Bowater - Grimley Colliery Band; Colin Brook - Grimley Colliery Band; Duncan Byers - Grimley Colliery Band; Malcolm Clegg - Grimley Colliery Band; Charles Faulkner - Grimley Colliery Band; Toni Galacki - Gary; Olga Grahame - Mrs Foggan; Andrew Hirst - Grimley Colliery Band; Alan Hobbins - Grimley Colliery Band; Cliff Hopes - Grimley Colliery Band; Sky Ingram - Kylie; Vanessa Knox-Mawer - 2nd Mother; Sally Ann Matthews - Waitress; Paul McDonald - Grimley Colliery Band; Luke McGann - Shane; Jacqueline Naylor - 1st Mother; Stephan Peacock - Grimley Colliery Band; Shaun Randall - Grimley Colliery Band; Bob Rodgers - Halifax Judge; Jim Shepherd - Grimley Colliery Band; Irene Skillington - Passing Nurse; Max Smith - Nightwatchman; Christopher Tetlow - Craig; Simon Willis - Grimley Colliery Band; David Arnold - Grimley Colliery Band; Paul Davies - Grimley Colliery Band; Robin Lord Taylor - Grimley Colliery Band

Credit

Trevor Jones - Songwriter; Michael Ellis - Editor; Mark Herman - Director; Mark Herman - Screenwriter; Amy Roberts - Costume Designer; Steve Abbott - Producer; Peter Lindsay - Sound/Sound Designer; Olivia Stewart - Co-producer; Jonathan Benson - First Assistant Director; Andy Collins - Camera Operator; Felicity Joll - Art Director; Don Taylor - Production Designer

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