Gutsycurene
Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.
Keira Brennan
The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.
Sanjeev Waters
A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.
Isbel
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
Alenbalz
There's always a clown/retard in every public organisation; as this movie (based on a true story) reminds us. As a Movie, it's rather well done and entertaining, however, that it's actually based on a real persons life events, is concern for worry (at least for me), and simply highlights how readily society is prepared to go for one person who just happens to be at the right place-at the right time. Tokenism in the extreme, is another valid headline, for society's willingness to showcase it's Christian attitude, (contrast that with the way refugees from war-torn middle east countries are greeted and treated when they land on the shores of their Christian neighbours). So if you can watch this without the underlying reality that i't actually a true story, you should enjoy it, but it will really grate your humanitarian bones once you realise it's actually true.
bob the moo
This film is the true story of Neil Baldwin, a man diagnosed with learning difficulties as a child but one who counts royalty and bishops among his close friends, has connections across the world of English football, was given an honorary degree by Keele University, and worked as kit man for Stoke City. I guess to deliver this film there were many ways that the film could have gone, but it was a very wise decision to make the film very much in the style of Neil himself – gentle, unassuming, self-assured, and totally unthreatening. The story opens with Neil abandoned by his circus employer, although hardly put out by it, he simply walks to a church where he is able to get help – not by charm or force, but just by an apparent lack of awareness of "normal" society.This continues through the film and we see someone who just put his mind to things, decided he would do something, and did it. It is a story that is very well told by the film because it manages to be uplifting, funny, sad, hopeful, and genuinely warming to watch. It is not that he deserves great awards or knighthoods as some have suggested, but there is certainly something cheering about a life well lived without seemingly any trace of malice, spite or harm in the man's body. This gentle, honest approach extends to my favorite device of the film, which is to integrate the real Baldwin and the real Lou Macari into the film, to have them sit with the actors while the actors are in character; this device works surprisingly well, not only because it lets us see that us Baldwin really does seem to be the person that we are told, but also so that Baldwin can contribute directly his views on the thing we just saw. It sounds like it shouldn't work, but it works tremendously well.A big part of it working is that Toby Jones is excellent. He is wonderfully human, determined, and very much in keeping with a simple man with determination and no ill-will. To consider what some actors would do with a "learning difficulties" character, Jones makes it a base for his character but never what or who he is playing; I particularly liked him staying in character while sharing the scene with the real Baldwin – it not only showed how well the character was being delivered, but it also doubled up on the warming effect and gave an unusual device of getting inside the character's head at that moment. The supporting cast are all very good, but the film belongs to Jones and Baldwin.You will have heard many good things about this film, and maybe it is a bit over-hyped, but that is not to say that it isn't really good. It is a gentle, unassuming little film that will surprise you by how much it does and how well it does it – again, just like Baldwin himself.
Gubby-Allen
Marvellous is a film you could safely recommend to anybody.It is difficult to envisage what you could not like or gain from watching it. It will take you through every emotion imaginable in the 90 minutes and can justifiably apply a range of genres. It's is slightly slow in the earlier portion, the chronology goes slightly awry at times but nothing which hinders it and you can near guarantee being enriched through the life of Baldwin and performance of Jones being presented to you.The only downside is that neither film or actor probably meet any of the award season elligibility criteria.
irishtouristoffice
I've seen all the blockbusters this year. Guardians was great with an awesome soundtrack. X-Men was epic and Captain America was excellent but Toby Jones' best film this year doesn't have to rely on special effects to tell a very special story. This film has real heart and tells an extraordinary story with warmth and humour about Stoke City's famous kit man, ex circus clown Neil Baldwin, who along with ex Man United legend Lou Macari, appear in sporadic scenes with the actors who play their parts beautifully. These interjections work brilliantly and give you a sense of Neil Baldwin's wonderful personality. I was very impressed with David Tennant's performance in United but I think Tony Curran has trumped him here. In fact all the cast were excellent including Gemma Jones, who we know as Brigid Jones' mother, and Nicholas Gleaves. Gary Linikear also makes an impressive cameo. It's a better film than United which was in itself excellent and though It may not have the drama of The Damned United, it's definitely on a par artistically. If you don't feel good after watching this film you have serious problems!