BEFORE: Linking actors from "Graffiti Bridge" to this film is impossible, according to the rules I've established. However, I can bend those rules, or ignore them completely. Since I count voice actors in animated films, I could also count musicians, singers, when their voices appear on a film's soundtrack. So it should be simple to link between Prince and Sting, who appears in tonight's film - all I have to do is track down a movie that features songs from both Prince and the Police, right? That's a snap - "Risky Business", for one, which featured a Prince song I'm unfamiliar with, and also "Every Breath You Take". Thanks, internet.
THE PLOT: Jimmy hates his parents and his job in a company's mailing division. Only when he's together with his friends, a 'Mod' clique, cruises London on his motor-scooter and hears music such as that of 'The Who', he feels free and accepted.
AFTER: I've heard about "Mods" and "Rockers", Ringo made a joke about them in "A Hard Day's Night", by calling himself a "mocker", sort of in-between the two. But that's about as far as my knowledge goes - the rockers seemed to prefer 50's music, leather outfits and riding motorcycles. The mods, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the 60's rock, green overcoats and riding motor scooters - totally different, right? They both seem to represent rebellious youth, so if there are other subtle differences, I'm not aware of them - but they can't seem to get along.
The lead character here, Jimmy, has mostly Mod friends, but also learns he has a former childhood friend in the Rocker gang, so this becomes like a London version of "West Side Story", only with a bromance instead of a male/female relationship. Also, that sort of throws this back to Shakespeare, doesn't it? "Romeo & Juliet", only with more amphetamines, and better music.
I thought that "Tommy" had been part of this project, but I can't find any review for it - I suspect I watched that film the year before starting the Movie Year, because I know I was quite confused by it. I never fully understood that album either - blind people playing pinball must be a metaphor for something, but darned if I know what it is. This film has a much simpler story, it's almost like a slice-of-life deal, but the gang violence does seem to add a bit of relevance.
But it seems so tied to a specific time, a specific place - I'm not sure I can understand the plight of working-class Londoners (or some of their accents), just as I can't understand why a motor-scooter needs so darn many rear-view mirrors. Part of me thought this would be more of a musical romp, like "Help" or "A Hard Day's Night", but it seems more like a precursor to films like "Snatch" or "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels".
It's odd that nearly all of this week's films have been set at the intersection of music and violence - I watched the "rap battles" and domestic violence in "8 Mile", then the rapper vs. rapper dispute in "Hustle & Flow", then the band battles in "Purple Rain" and its sequel. Either music is a catalyst for violence, or filmmakers don't feel they can pull off a musical story without adding conflict. Makes for better stories, anyway.
Also starring Phil Daniels, Ray Winstone (last seen in "Hugo"), Philip Davis (last seen in "Cassandra's Dream"), Mark Wingett, Leslie Ash, Michael Elphick, with cameos from Timothy Spall (last seen in "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events") and The Who.
RATING: 4 out of 10 pie shops
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