The Commitments (1991)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Alan Parker

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

28 August 1991 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

They Had Absolutely Nothing. But They Were Willing To Risk It All.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Band | Ireland | Fictional Band | Irish | Elvis Presley

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 10 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Robert Arkins	...	Jimmy Rabbitte
Michael Aherne	...	Steven Clifford, Piano
Angeline Ball	...	Imelda Quirke, Backup Singer
Maria Doyle Kennedy	...	Natalie Murphy, Backup Singer (as Maria Doyle)
Dave Finnegan	...	Mickah Wallace, Drums
Bronagh Gallagher	...	Bernie McGloughlin, Backup Singer
Félim Gormley	...	Dean Fay, Sax
Glen Hansard	...	Outspan Foster, Guitar
Dick Massey	...	Billy Mooney, Drums (quit)
Johnny Murphy	...	Joey 'The Lips' Fagan, Trumpet
Ken McCluskey	...	Derek Scully, Bass (as Kenneth McCluskey)
Andrew Strong	...	Deco Cuffe
Colm Meaney	...	Jimmy Rabbitte, Sr.
Anne Kent	...	Mrs. Rabbitte
Andrea Corr	...	Sharon Rabbitte

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

Ireland | UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG | Australia:M | Finland:K-8 | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Beacon Communications

Trivia:

The film runs for 113 minutes. In that time, the word "fuck" is used 145 times.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Andrew Strong is about to go into the main Chorus towards the end of "Try A Little Tenderness", when the drums kick in, the piano player goes for a strike down the keys, but in the next shot he's playing it normally.

Quotes:

[talking about kicking Ray out of the band]
Jimmy Rabbitte: How did Ray take the news?
Derek: Not too bad. Said he was goin' solo.
Jimmy Rabbitte: He doesn't have much of a choice, does he?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Movie Connections: The Commitments (#1.2)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Try A Little Tenderness

Absolutely great movie

I love this film. Everything about it might seem like it is just another cliche ridden story about the rise and fall of a band, but this movie is totally different somehow. It rises above anything previous in its genre. The characters are all both interesting, and their personality flaws are used to greatly illustrate the ending of the movie. The writing was superb, and acting from a cast of mostly unknowns top notch. The musical sequences were great, and served as an introduction for me to the songs and artists that they covered. Colm Meaney was hilarious as the very skeptical father of Jimmy.