Brassed Off Movie Review 1996

Bittersweet tale of despair and hope in the fictional coal mining town of Grimly in Yorkshire, England. Set in 1992, when sweeping closures of British coal mines devastated the area, the sole respite of these workers is playing in the pit's brass band. Secretly suffering from black lung disease, the band's leader (Postlethwaite) dreams of winning a competition in Albert Hall. Fitzgerald plays the flugelhorn-tooting vixen who returns to the small town, inspiring the music (and virility) of the formerly all male band. She resumes her relationship with former flame MacGregor, but all is on shaky ground with the imminent closure of the mine. Fine performances brighten the generally gloomy proceedings. The band is played by the real-life Grimethorpe Colliery Brass Band.

Distribution

Asymmetrical Entertainment, Inc., 110 Remsen St., Ste 1A, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201, Phone: (718)237-6031, Fax: (718)237-6031, Email: info@asymmetricalvideo.com, URL: http://www.asymmetricalvideo.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 100 minutes.
Originally from British.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Great Britain, Miners & Mining

Screenplay

Mark Herman

Cast

Pete Postlethwaite, Ewan McGregor, Tara Fitzgerald, Jim Carter, Philip Jackson, Peter Martin, Stephen Tompkinson

Cinematography

Andy Collins

Director

Mark Herman

Music

Trevor Jones

Producer

Steve Abbott, Channel Four Film, Prominent Features, Miramax Films

Awards

Cesar 1998: Foreign Film.