Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

It is very difficult to define the source of fascination for this almost classic. the social crisis reflection ? the imagination, courage and hopeless of few men in delicate situation ? the English humor ? the tension and the show itself ? maybe, all. and something giving to it a charm without definition. yes, this could be the secret of its succes. when you see it. again and again.

This film was just shown on BBC1 in honour of its 20th anniversary of release, and it deserves it. It's charming, very funny, touching, and speaks to the reality of being unemployed with little chance of employment in a depressed economy. It should be soul-destroying, yet these men keep trying and, ultimately, succeed.*big spoiler warning* What I love most is that they don't suddenly turn into the world's best dancers/strippers. That's not what it's all about. It's about friendship, fatherhood, marriage and unexpected love. Such a lovely film with a sensational soundtrack as a bonus. I seriously hope Hollywood won't try to turn it into a 'feel-good' movie with model-pretty actor/dancers. *shudder*The actors here are completely believable as ordinary, working class men just trying to survive. Robert Carlyle is, as always, amazing. Probably best known now as Rumplestiltskin in 'Once Upon a Time', his acting history is impeccable, as is his Yorkshire accent. Like David Tennant, another Scot, he is a chameleon. I look forward to seeing everything he does.

The Full Monty (1997): Dir: Peter Cattaneo / Cast: Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, Tom Wilkinson, Paul Barber, Steve Huison: Hilarious British comedy about self outlook and going beyond goal or initial challenge. What makes the film so great is its casting of actors who are clearly not models. Robert Carlyle struggles for visitation rights with his son. Mark Addy plays a security guard worried about his weight. Tom Wilkinson lost everything to taxes and is harassed into giving dance lessons. Paul Barber might have once been a great dancer. After endless days at the job bank Carlyle suggests a one night strip tease, which leads to side-splitting mayhem. Great concept with an inspiring take on the average male but director Peter Cattaneo does careful cutting. Carlyle is fantastic in a role that is so different from his role in Trainspotting. Addy upholds the overweight people with a wife who looks beyond. Wilkinson loses his marriage when taxes become unbearable but he ultimately pulls everything together. Barber has back problems but can dance better than any of them. Steve Huison plays another member of the group and his mother passes away at one point. This is one film to cheer for but it also presents perhaps the best comedy situations in a film the whole year. No one need be ashamed of their physical self after these guys deliver the full monty. Score: 9 / 10

THE FULL MONTY was one of those movies that HURT to watch: by the time I left the theater, my face was actually sore from smiling. It's laugh-out-loud funny and moving at once. The predicament our heroes find themselves in is one that all too many of us have experienced at one time or another. (I wish I'd thought of doing something like this when I was really down and out- and in better shape...) Robert Carlyle has long been one of my favorite actors- in part because of this movie (not to mention HAMISH MACBETH or 28 WEEKS LATER); he's great as the down-and-out father forced to do SOMETHING to distance himself from The Dole and all its attendant stigma. The scene of the guys standing in line listening to music that gets their proverbial engines running had me laughing out loud in the theater. (I remember a scene from HAMISH MACBETH that STILL brings a smile to my face. A newcomer to his jurisdiction comments on his name by saying: "To be or not to be- THAT Macbeth?" "No," replies Carlyle: "THAT'S Officer Hamlet.")