The Commitments (DVD)
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The Commitments is a truly feel good film. Based on a novel by the masterful Irish author Roddy Doyle, it presents the tale of a bunch of working class Dubliners, who form a band in the 1990s and come mere inches from making the big-time. It is a heart-warming story, tinged with sadness but filled with wit and sharply observed humour.
Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins) is an aspiring music manager, full of enthusiasm, guile and endless optimism. It's just a shame he hasn't got a band to manage! Whilst attending a Dublin wedding, he meets up with two old friends who are playing in the ill-fated band 'And And! And'. Jimmy is impressed by a drunken solo from one of the guests, who briefly takes to the stage when the band take a pit-stop. This heartfelt rendition of The Proclaimers' Letter From America is delivered by the sixteen year old bus conductor Deco Cuffe (Andrew Strong). With the three of them as the seeds of a band, it only remains for Jimmy to decide what they are going to play, and to recruit the remaining musicians.
The wascally Rabbitte soon secures a full complement of musicians including Joey 'The Lips' on trumpet, red-headed Outspan (a famous brand of oranges in Europe) on guitar and the near-psychotic Mickah Wallace on drums. Of course no soul band would be complete without some sexy backing vocalists and 'The Commitmentettes' arrive in the form of the shapely Imelda Quirke, the sultry Natalie and the chippy van driving Bernie. The band progress from tumultuous rehearsals to playing the local community centre and before too long fame is knocking at the door as the local journalists are alerted to their growing popularity. Unfortunately tantrums, intra-group sex and petty jealousies soon come to the fore. Can the band survive their own success?
The backdrop to the film is the long-term unemployment and poverty of Ireland. Subsequent investment has made modern Dublin a vibrant and quite wealthy European city, but the film manages to capture those bleaker days very well indeed - as well as the awful clothes and haircuts of the time! The Commitments also manages to create an ensemble of totally believable characters, all of them excellently portrayed by a largely unknown cast. It is amazing that more of them haven't gone on to much bigger things in the world of music or film - with the obvious exception of The Corrs, three of whom perform in minor roles in this movie. Andrew Strong in particular has an astoundingly powerful voice - the music is all recorded live on set - and Arkins is wonderfully cast as Rabbitte. The rich vein of humour which runs through the film makes it more endearing on repeat viewings - I still laugh every time I hear the confessional scene where the Priest corrects the aspiring pianist on his knowledge of soul. There is a real bitter-sweet feel to the film and the raw language (replete with endless one-liners), austere Dublin slums and striking poverty of the band members will have you desperate to see the band succeed. After all 'the Irish are the blacks of Europe, Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland and Northside Dubliners are the blacks of Dublin...so say it once and say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud!'
EXTRA FEATURES
The Making of The Commitments
Alan Parker Film Biography
The Making of Alan Parker's film The Commitments
Music Video: 'Treat Her Right'
Teaser Trailer
Original Theatrical Trailer
The Commitments (DVD)
SKU: 24269
$9.99
Sale price
$9.99
Regular price
About This Item
🔴 Condition - Like New 🔴
The Commitments is a truly feel good film. Based on a novel by the masterful Irish author Roddy Doyle, it presents the tale of a bunch of working class Dubliners, who form a band in the 1990s and come mere inches from making the big-time. It is a heart-warming story, tinged with sadness but filled with wit and sharply observed humour.
Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins) is an aspiring music manager, full of enthusiasm, guile and endless optimism. It's just a shame he hasn't got a band to manage! Whilst attending a Dublin wedding, he meets up with two old friends who are playing in the ill-fated band 'And And! And'. Jimmy is impressed by a drunken solo from one of the guests, who briefly takes to the stage when the band take a pit-stop. This heartfelt rendition of The Proclaimers' Letter From America is delivered by the sixteen year old bus conductor Deco Cuffe (Andrew Strong). With the three of them as the seeds of a band, it only remains for Jimmy to decide what they are going to play, and to recruit the remaining musicians.
The wascally Rabbitte soon secures a full complement of musicians including Joey 'The Lips' on trumpet, red-headed Outspan (a famous brand of oranges in Europe) on guitar and the near-psychotic Mickah Wallace on drums. Of course no soul band would be complete without some sexy backing vocalists and 'The Commitmentettes' arrive in the form of the shapely Imelda Quirke, the sultry Natalie and the chippy van driving Bernie. The band progress from tumultuous rehearsals to playing the local community centre and before too long fame is knocking at the door as the local journalists are alerted to their growing popularity. Unfortunately tantrums, intra-group sex and petty jealousies soon come to the fore. Can the band survive their own success?
The backdrop to the film is the long-term unemployment and poverty of Ireland. Subsequent investment has made modern Dublin a vibrant and quite wealthy European city, but the film manages to capture those bleaker days very well indeed - as well as the awful clothes and haircuts of the time! The Commitments also manages to create an ensemble of totally believable characters, all of them excellently portrayed by a largely unknown cast. It is amazing that more of them haven't gone on to much bigger things in the world of music or film - with the obvious exception of The Corrs, three of whom perform in minor roles in this movie. Andrew Strong in particular has an astoundingly powerful voice - the music is all recorded live on set - and Arkins is wonderfully cast as Rabbitte. The rich vein of humour which runs through the film makes it more endearing on repeat viewings - I still laugh every time I hear the confessional scene where the Priest corrects the aspiring pianist on his knowledge of soul. There is a real bitter-sweet feel to the film and the raw language (replete with endless one-liners), austere Dublin slums and striking poverty of the band members will have you desperate to see the band succeed. After all 'the Irish are the blacks of Europe, Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland and Northside Dubliners are the blacks of Dublin...so say it once and say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud!'
EXTRA FEATURES
The Making of The Commitments
Alan Parker Film Biography
The Making of Alan Parker's film The Commitments
Music Video: 'Treat Her Right'
Teaser Trailer
Original Theatrical Trailer