Little Voice [DVD] [1999]: Amazon.co.uk: Brenda Blethyn, Jane Horrocks, Michael Caine, Ewan McGregor, Philip Jackson, Annette Badland, Jim Broadbent, Adam Fogerty, James Welsh, Karen Gregory, Fred Feast, Graham Turner, Mark Herman, Bob Weinstein, Elizabeth Karlsen, Harvey Weinstein, Laurie Borg, Nik Powell, Jim Cartwright: Film & TV

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Amazon.co.uk Review

Michael Caine was robbed of an Oscar. He gives his finest performance in a decade as big-talking small-time agent Ray Say, a paunchy, pale life-of-the-party hiding his desperation under gold chains and cool bravura. When he hears the almost magical voice of Jane Horrocks's meek little LV (short for Little Voice) fill her bedroom with the rich voice of Judy Garland, he sees his ticket to the big time. Little Voice is ostensibly LV's story, and in fact the original play was written for Horrocks, whose amazing vocal impressions of Garland, Shirley Bassey, and Marilyn Monroe (among others) form the centrepiece performance of the film. But as directed by Mark Herman (Brassed Off), the story of this mousy girl who shuts herself in from a bellowing world is just as overwhelmed by the bombastic characters as LV herself. Brenda Blethyn babbles a blue streak as LV's overbearing mother, Mari, an ageing widow who escapes her unhappiness in carousing and becomes almost pathologically jealous when Ray's attentions turn from her to LV. As Ray puts his dreams on the line for LV's showcase, he reveals his true self: a venal man who spits and barks out his bottled-up anger in an astoundingly bile-filled delivery of Roy Orbison's "It's Over". The showstopping moment once again overwhelms LV's tale, but Caine's performance is so astounding it seems a fair trade --Sean Axmaker, Amazon.com

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19 Reviews

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Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (19 customer reviews)

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A little gem, 13 Mar 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Little Voice [VHS] [1999] (VHS Tape)

This is a fantastic little film, about a super-shy Northern girl (Jane Horrocks) who hides her secret talent - an amazing singing voice - from her mother until one fateful day she is 'discovered' by the ultra-slimy Michael Caine, the flash man-about-town who sweeps Little Voice's mother off her feet but ultimately turns out not to be very nice after all. There are some excellent scenes in the film, most of them involving Michael Caine, who's never been better than he is here. Ewan McGregor (pre-Kenobi) plays a minor part as the introverted pigeon-fancying love interest of the heroine. The most amazing thing about this video, though, is that Jane Horrocks does all her own singing! LV Trivia: The stage play on which this film is based was directed in the West End by Sam Mendes, who went on to make the awesome film 'American Beauty'.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gem of a Movie!, 4 Oct 2003

By

E. A. Redfearn "eredfearn2" (Middlesbrough) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Little Voice [DVD] [1999] (DVD)

My oh My!!! This is a gem of a movie! I first saw it last year and loved it. Now it is thankfully, available on DVD, you cannot really afford to miss this movie. The lovely Jane Horrocks plays LV (Little Voice) a painfully shy girl who lives her life through the great singers of yesteryear. (Garland; Monroe; Dietrich; and in our own time Bassey etc.) Michael Caine (who should have gained an oscar for his part) discovers her talent quite by accident when he develops a relationship with LV's mother Brenda Blythen (who is very funny by the way). LV performs in a night club (after seeing the spirit of her dead father in the audience) and seems bound for stardom. However, it doesnt quite work out that way. I cannot say too much about this film because it needs to be seen and appreciated. ( The scene where Michael Caine tries to sing Roy Orbison' Its Over is hilarious!) This film has just about everything. Great singing; great acting; comedy; and sadness. One cannot fail to be entertained. Go and buy it, you wont be disappointed. Picture and sound on DVD are very good.

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This movie is okay but Jane Horrocks is Absolutely Fabulous, 25 Jan 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Little Voice [DVD] [1999] (DVD)

"Little Voice" is a strange little film. It is based on the play "The Rise and Fall of Little Voice" which was written by Jim Cartwright specifically and most deservedly for the talented voice of actress Jane Horrocks. However, given what I have seen in this movie there must be some significant changes with the last act of the story from what appeared on stage. The story basically falls into three stages, which can aptly be described as the discovery, rise, and fall of Little Voice. This is the nickname of LV (Horrocks), the painfully shy daughter of human hurricane Mari (Brenda Blethyn), who takes refuge in her room upstairs listening to her father's record albums. On the few occasions when she actually utters words it is indeed in the littlest of voices and we are genuinely surprised when she actually makes eye contact with another human being. Trying to do more than that is young Billy (Ewan McGregor), who is smitten with the shy young woman. Meanwhile, Ray Say (Michael Caine), a seedy third-rate manager of fourth rate talent in the entertainment biz blows into town to have some good times with Mari and he proves to be more than her equal in terms of having a very good time.

Then, in one of those scenes that delightfully catches us by surprise, both Ray and the audience learn that LV might not talk, but she can sing. More to the point, she can sing like the singers on the records she listens to, which means we are talking Judy Garland, Shirley Bassey, Billie Holiday, and other music icons. Ray has dollar signs in his eyes that blind him to the obvious amorous affections of Mari as the big question becomes how to get the timid LV upon on the stage at the club of Mr. Boo (Jim Broadhurst).

The rise part of the story is the most enjoyable as our anticipation builds for the moment when LV is going to let loose with all those voices she keeps bottled up inside. Of course, once that happens there is nowhere to go but down. Ray coaxes LV into the big moment through dishonest means, which is a portent of what is to come. Caine's performance is marvelous from start until the final act of this film, at which point his character throws away all of the good grace he has developed over the course of the film. Our sympathy is totally with LV, who is always singing in her mind's eye to her long departed father (special mention to Graham Turner for the perfectly wonderful smile on his face), although young Billy's earnestness wins our admiration as well. By the end of the film LV's career and a whole lot of other things are in ashes. The ending of "Little Voice" is rather unsatisfying, but to paraphrase the Bard, I am not sure what satisfaction it could provide us from where it begins.

Blethyn got a supporting actress nomination for her performance in this film and Caine's performance is what of his better efforts, but the reason to watch this film is Horrocks. In the end your biggest complaint with this film is going to be that Horrocks does not do a lot more singing. I understand the importance of the key line that LV finally gets to delivery to her mother, but I cannot help but feel that there should have been an equally important moment from the musical perspective. "Little Voice" is worth the watching, but if you find yourself only rewatching the middle section, do not be tremendously surprised.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Little Voice
One of my all time favourite films - funny, sad and memorable all at the same time. Could watch it over and over again. Read more

Published 10 months ago by florence