Sharply written and executed with real verve, this is an enduring and enjoyable comedy-drama that showcases some great performances both on and off-stage.
The Commitments (1991)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:37
Fresh:34
Rotten:3
Average Rating:7.6/10
Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Alan Parker's THE COMMITMENTS, based on Roddy Doyle's buoyant debut novel, follows the enjoyable travails of a band cobbled together by young Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins), whose vision is to... Alan Parker's THE COMMITMENTS, based on Roddy Doyle's buoyant debut novel, follows the enjoyable travails of a band cobbled together by young Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins), whose vision is to bring soul music to Dublin. After putting an ad in the local paper, Jimmy assembles an unlikely group of musicians who, though nervous, raw, and rough, make music that speaks to something very near the heart of their audience of curious kids and sharp-tongued, sarcastic relatives. As the band nears its big break, egos clash and expectations of fame and fortune start to tear them apart, forcing Jimmy to fight desperately to keep them together. THE COMMITMENTS bubbles over with life, largely on the strength of the young, mostly unknown cast. Andrew Strong shines in the role of the lead singer exuding a volatile and irresistible charisma as he transforms rapidly from an unsure adolescent into an egotistical spotlight hogger. Colm Meaney contributes a hilarious cameo as Jimmy's father (a role that would expand in two later film adaptations of Doyle novels, THE SNAPPER and THE VAN). Pumped along by killer 1960s soul tunes and crackling throughout with quick-witted dialogue, THE COMMITMENTS is an effervescent, affecting tour through working-class Dublin. [More]
Starring: Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Hall, Maria Doyle
Starring: Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Hall, Maria Doyle, Dave Finnegan, Bronagh Gallagher, Felim Gormley, Glen Hansard, Dick Massey, Kenneth McCluskey, Johnny Murphy, Andrew Strong, Alan Parker, Andrea Corr, Jim Corr
Director: Alan Parker
Director: Alan Parker
Screenwriter: Roddy Doyle, Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais
Producer: Lynda Myles, Roger Randall-Cutler
Reviews for The Commitments
Foul-mouthed, fast-talking and very funny, this is Parker's best to date.
The film offers no message, no solutions, only a great time at the movies.
Does a remarkable job of balancing a feel of lower-class life with the sheer exuberance the music brings.
This typically slick but largely enjoyable Alan Parker offering is the story of the rise and demise of a young Irish soul band.
Director Alan Parker's story of a band of young Dubliners playing American '60s soul is fresh, well-executed and original.
This is probably Alan Parker's best film, in part because it's one of his most modest.
Groundwork for The Full Monty school of condescending films about noble blue-collar western Europeans who like their beer dark and their unemployment light.
If it’s light on meaning, it’s strong at presenting the visceral pleasures of music, which can be extremely difficult to do
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