The Commitments (1991)

The travails of Jimmy Rabbitte to form the "World's Hardest Working Band," The Commitments, and bring soul music to the people of Dublin, Ireland.

Director:

Alan Parker

Writers:

Roddy Doyle (novel), Dick Clement (screenplay),

Stars:

Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Arkins	...	Jimmy Rabbitte
Michael Aherne	...	Steven Clifford
Angeline Ball	...	Imelda Quirke
Maria Doyle Kennedy	...	Natalie Murphy (as Maria Doyle)
Dave Finnegan	...	Mickah Wallace
Bronagh Gallagher	...	Bernie McGloughlin
Félim Gormley	...	Dean Fay
Glen Hansard	...	Outspan Foster
Dick Massey	...	Billy Mooney
Johnny Murphy	...	Joey 'The Lips' Fagan
Ken McCluskey	...	Derek Scully (as Kenneth McCluskey)
Andrew Strong	...	Deco Cuffe
Colm Meaney	...	Mr. Rabbitte
Anne Kent	...	Mrs. Rabbitte
Andrea Corr	...	Sharon Rabbitte

Storyline

Jimmy Rabbitte, che vive di piccoli espedienti in un quartiere proletario di Dublino, si e' messo in testa di organizzare una band musicale per rinverdire i fasti del rythm&blues e del soul. Grazie ad un annuncio sul giornale, Rabbitte comincia a selezionare giovani dal lavoro precario ma pieni di talento: Dean, Fay, Outspan, l'occhialuto Steven , Clifford, Deco, il ciccione senza buone maniere ma con una grande voce, Billy il batterista e Joey "The lips", un bizzarro e maturo anziano suonatore di tromba che si vanta di aver suonato con famosi soul-singers. Aggrega anche Natalie, Imelda e Bernie, tre grintose ragazze, ottime coriste e molto sexy. Procuratisi a credito la strumentazione, cominciano le prove, massacranti, che impegnano tutti. Si inizia a suonare in pubblico, in capannoni e feste sociali: il gruppo sembra pervaso dal fuoco della musica e dell'ambizione. La band, pur se dilettantesca e provinciale, sembra lanciata verso il vertice e finisce invece nel fallimento: ...

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Plot Keywords:

band | ireland | music club | conquest | price of fame | 

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Taglines:

They had nothing to lose, they risked it all.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site of the Commitments band

Country:

Ireland UK USA

Language:

English Irish

Release Date:

4 October 1991 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

Camino a la fama

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Box Office

Gross:

$14,919,570 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Beacon Communications, Dirty Hands Productions, First Film Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Johnny Murphy (Joey The Lips) and Bronagh Gallagher (Bernie) were the only ones in the group who had no music experience before making the film.

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Goofs

In the last club scene, an acoustic piano can clearly be heard, but only a Fender Rhodes piano is seen.

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Quotes

[learning the band will be called "The Commitments"]
Billy: The Commitments?
Jimmy Rabbitte: It's a "the".
Deco: How do you spell it?
Jimmy Rabbitte: T-H-E.

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Connections

Referenced in Dublin Soul: The Working Class and the Changing Face of Dublin (2004)

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Soundtracks

"I Can't Stand The Rain"
Written by Donald Bryant, Ann Peebles and Bernard Miller
Performed by Angeline Ball

User Reviews

Funny, heartbreaking and true

Who needs expensive movie stars when a group of unknowns can light up the screen like this lot?

On paper, it sounds like a failure - a cast comprising almost entirely of untrained and untested performers, set in working class Dublin, based on the novella by Roddy Doyle. By God, does it defy expectations.

Jimmy Rabbitte is a working class Dublin lad who's been collecting unemployment benefits for two years. But he dreams of bigger things, namely making it big in the music industry. He sets out to form a soul band, and assembles a motley crew of musicians and singers, most of whom don't know each other and many of whom can't stand each other.

The look of the film is gritty and realistic - nothing is glossed over. North Dublin is presented in all it's glory. The home lives of the band members are depicted warts and all - their private lives set the scene for the inevitable personality clashes that are almost as explosive as the music. In the mix is the unique character of the Irish people - at one point Jimmy enters a tenement block and, as he waits for the lift, looks over to see a boy with a horse. "You aren't taking that in the lift, are you?" he asks. "I have to," the boy replies. "The stairs would kill him."

The real star of the show is the music - this film spawned two hugely successful soundtrack albums. The band members were cast partly due to their musical ability, and the results are superlative. The stand out is Andrew Strong as Deco - would you believe this kid was only 16 when the film was made? His amazing voice belies his tender years, and suggests that he's been smoking a packet a day since the age of about four. At the end of the day with is a fine ensemble piece, much like the band. The acting may be a little wonky at times, but the hysterical dialogue makes up for that.

Most remarkably, this is a feel good film that does not rely on any of the conventional feel good plot devices. There are no group hugs, no plot conveniences, no trite happy endings. Just a shrewdly observed and wittily captured human story about people who dream of making it out of their dreary world. And isn't that something we can all relate to?