by Peter Morris in Los Angeles 3rd June 2003
OK I’m going out on a limb here and saying that I think this could be the "feel good, funny, family film of the summer" and if the Warner Bros press office have any sense that’s how they’ll be promoting this one loud and long.
The film is notable for a couple of reasons :1) It has Scottish comic actor CRAIG FERGUSON doing triple duty as co-writer, star and making his directorial debut -(if you didn’t see his previous writing and acting roles in “Saving Grace” and “The Big Tease” do yourself a favour and rent them next chance you get- “Grace” got more attention and made more money but “Tease” is in cult classic territory): and 2) it marks the big screen debut of teen singer CHARLOTTE CHURCH as an actress!
The plot concerns Paul Kerr (FERGUSON) , a reclusive Scottish rock star slowly drinking himself into oblivion in his manor house in Wales- a location chosen because it was close to where he played one of his most memorable gigs and had a passionate fling he never forgot. What he didn’t know, thanks to the vagaries of unscrupulous management, is that he also became a Dad that weekend and that his daughter Olivia (CHARLOTTE CHURCH) - also blissfully unaware of his existence thanks to her Mum (Rebecca played by JEMMA REDGRAVE) - is now a teenager.
A drink induced headline prompts Grandad “Evil” Evans (JOSS ACKLAND) to force a meeting between father and daughter and indeed mother. What follows leads to a relatively predictable enough ending - I did say it was a feel good movie- but what I liked about this one is that the road it takes is funny and charming and whatever else you can say about her CHARLOTTE CHURCH can sing- and she does so here in a fashion not many have heard.
The supporting cast that help make the film work includes ANTHONY HEAD (TVs “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Manchild”) , IMELDA STAUNTON (“Sense and Sensibility” et al), IAN MCNIECE (“From Hell” et al) and RALPH BROWN (“Mean Machine” et al) - all of whom contribute to the laughs along the way.
I read one UK review about this film which failed to mention the film at all rather merely harped on about Ms CHURCH‘S tabloid tales in the UK asking “how can we take her seriously playing sweet sixteen when we read that she’s a diva on tour?”
I don’t know CHARLOTTE CHURCH or whether she’s a diva on tour or not but if she is then she has a fine future as an actress because none of it comes across on screen. And, perhaps more to my point, she’s part of an ensemble cast here and together they’ve turned out a film you can take your whole family to see and all have a good laugh- and they’re a bit thin on the ground these days.
If you haven’t taken your Gran, Mum, kids ,nieces or nephews to the pics recently -take them to see this - I did and we all enjoyed it and for that reason as much as any other.......
Celebrities Worldwide Rating: 9 out of 10
UK Release Date: 20 June 2003
David Jensen Photography:
https://www.davidjensen.co.uk/
