- Actors: Paul Kaye, James Cromwell, Alice Evans, Bernard Cribbins, Johnny Vegas
- Directors: Mel Smith
- Format: PAL, Colour
- Language English
- Classification: 15
- Studio: Warner
- VHS Release Date: 16 Feb 2004
- Run Time: 96 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B0000BK6T3
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 18,267 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Product details |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Blackball marks the feature debut of Paul Kaye, who spins a somewhat more likeable variation on his arrogant Perfect World TV persona in this underdog-triumphs-over-adversity comedy. Set, like Fawlty Towers, in the holiday resort of Torquay, and echoing the small-town seaside pettiness of Tony Hancock's The Punch and Judy Man (1963), Blackball is as bitterly class conscious as either, with Kaye as a working-class, potentially world-champion bowler with an enormous chip on his shoulder. Written by Tim Firth (the man also responsible for 2003's Calendar Girls), the film seems unsure what it wants to be, aiming potshots at the corrupting influence of big money TV deals and commercial tie-ins on traditional values, while simultaneously trampling on those very values by celebrating the repugnant antics of Kaye's MTV-generation angry young sportsman.
Director Mel Smith eventually swamps any satiric intent under a full slate of feel-good comedy clichés, though he does win fine performances from James Cromwell and Bernard Cribbins as Kaye's proud nemesis and kindly uncle respectively. While parts of the script involving their back stories seems to have been left on the cutting room floor, the restrained dignity these two elder statesmen bring to their roles speaks volumes about changes in attitudes between the generations. Consistently amusing, though too predictable to be hilarious, Blackball features strong support from Vince Vaughn, Johnny Vegas, Imelda Staunton and Alice Evans. Stephen Warbeck's score really elevates proceedings once the product-placed rock soundtrack stands aside. --Gary S Dalkin
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Someone owes Steve Martin an apology...,
By
This review is from: Blackball [DVD] [2003] (DVD)
It's richly ironic that a comedian perhaps best known for triggering a fit of clinical depression in Steve Martin by asking him why he wasn't funny anymore should himself be so horrendously unfunny onscreen, but Paul Kaye certainly proves that's the case with the irredeemably dismal Blackball. A poor actor and a worse comic, his bowls ace from the wrong side of the tracks is one of the most horribly misconceived characters in years, so utterly charmless, repugnant and phenomenally unlikeable that you can only sympathise with the film's nominal villains and hope that one of them will bash the obnoxious bore repeatedly over the head with a bowling ball until his legs stop twitching. Yes, this is a film that actually has the power to make you side with Daily Mail reading snobs... The story follows a predictably formulaic route - Kaye's bad boy of British bowls falls foul of the old farts who rule the sport, becomes a media sensation thanks to a ruthless agent's media machinations and lets success go to his head before redeeming himself and yada yada yada. Except in this case he actually seems slightly LESS obnoxious when at the height of his success and egomania than he is in the rest of the film. Vince Vaughn gives the film what little energy it has as his agent, James Cromwell adds a modicum of class as his professional rival and prospective father-in-law while Alice Evans characterisation consists almost entirely of looking awkwardly to one side or the other whenever he says anything, though not rolling her eyes in contempt at her co-star was probably such a titanic effort that you can't really hold it against her. If you really feel the need for a good comedy about bowls, check out Aussie flick Crackerjack instead.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blackball,
By
This review is from: Blackball [DVD] [2003] (DVD)
A beautiful british comedy, made better by the fact it is true. Wonderfully acted. A great asset to my collection.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Black ball,
By
This review is from: Blackball [DVD] [2003] (DVD)
"Is it on the ritzler" fantastic you start laughing at the start and and still laugh when you are watching the special features. A great film, if you need a pick me up then this is the one to watch British comedy at its best.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews |
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
