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Brassed Off (1996)
8/10
Banding - more than just a hobby
13 October 2006
I just want to correct a couple of things that the previous reviewer makes about the film.

Firstly, from a musical point of view, Gloria does not enter the Grimley bandroom with an obligato cornet, it's a flugelhorn.

The fact that a woman has entered the band room is important. For a long time, the brass band was the domain of men. Women weren't allowed to play in the bands and indeed, this is still the case today in two of the biggest names in the banding world.

Underpinning all this is the fact that the film is (at least) semi-biographical. The events unfolding in the film mirror in no small way the same events which befell the Grimethorpe pit in 1992, and impacted on the world-famous Grimethorpe Colliery band. Thatcher's Britain did result in the pit closing down, and threatened the band's future. The band did take the stage at the National Final, and so the reason that the band don't turn professional is because there is no room in the banding movement for a professional band.

For a point of information, there are 4 basses in a Brass Band, 2 Eb and 2 Bb (not 2 or 3). Oh yes, and bandsmen most certainly do carry there instruments through the street without a case, especially bass players.

On a slightly different point, Phil does not have a gambling habit. He is still paying off the loan that he took out in 1982 to cover the loss of earnings because "suspended I were. 18 b****** months it took that lot to sort it out. 18 b***** months on strike pay. That's how big a f***** deal it is mate."
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8/10
Great accident
22 February 2002
I stumbled across this film last night by accident on TV. I was a little sceptical at first, but I have to admit this is one very funny film.

It's a great plot idea, with some clever takes on humans and well worth spending a couple of hours watching. There are no subtle twists, which is just as well, because I was laughing to much to follow them anyway. You will recognize just about every type of person within the characters of the film, and will cringe when you recognize yourself, I did.

If you liked American Pie or Road Trip, this film will certainly appeal.
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