The
Full Monty (1997)
The title is meaningless in America and I can only
guess that it means "totally nude" in British slang.
That's what the usage in the film here implies. Whether
this applies to only males is unknown to me. Regardless,
the script is a humorous dissertation on the changing
roles of males in modern society coupled with economics
and parenthood as secondary elements in the story. It's
a film where "average Joe" types decide to go the "Chippendale"
route and put on a strip show to make a little money.
The instigator of this plot is Gaz, played by "Trainspotting's"
Begbie, Robert Carlyle. Perfectly cast as a petty thief
and out of work blue collar type, Carlyle even makes
us believe that the stripping idea has merit. What is
odd about the script is that his character's son, Nathan
(William Snape), who must be 12 or 13 max, plays an
active role in this get-rich-quick scheme. (No, the
boy doesn't strip). Gaz isn't a great father but the
kid loves him and believes in him. It's funny how scripter
Simon Beaufoy weaves the young character into the plot,
making us question whether what happens here is really
good for the kid (finally seeing his father as a hero)
or something that will severely damage his sexual psyche
in the future (seeing men strip nude).
Carlyle drags several blokes into the act including
his overweight friend Dave (Mark Addy), an older man
who used to be a foreman where he worked, Gerald (Tom
Wilkerson), a black man around 50 named Horse (Paul
Barber), a younger stud who is apparently hung much
like a horse named Guy (Hugo Speer) and a red-headed
loser named Lomper (Steve Huison). Two of these will
become lovers by the film's midsection. The scene where
they come together is invigorating, warm and sweet.
The film is hilarious as it mixes the personal problems
of the men into the stew of the main story, the 6 trying
desperately to put on a strip show. We grow to love
the men and the boy and truly care about them. We want
to see them overcome their personal obstacles and put
on this show. We want to see dreamer Carlyle succeed,
even though it takes us a bit to warm up to him. The
film shows us that, although he may not be the best
father, he does love his son and that indeed counts
for a lot. The chemistry evoked between Carlyle and
Snape makes us care what happens to the two and this
is paramount to the film's plot.
Director Peter Cattaneo doesn't use a lot of cinematic
tricks to make the film work. He simply puts the characters
together and lets the script and the actors have their
way with each other. The plot uses a lot of wide open
spaces, like city streets (which always seem rather
run down) and an abandoned factory so there is an airy
feel to the film as well as the consciousness of decay.
His best trick is the placement of a 70's short documentary
about the setting called "Sheffield: City on the Move"
at the film's beginning which easily sets up the idea
that this was a thriving industrial town which is now
becoming a wasteland. It's campy kitsch as well as informative
and leaves us open to the plot which follows. It satisfies
the need for a set-up and saves us from lot of boring
exposition. This allows the film to get right to it.
The scripts major problems are caused by the film's
abrupt ending right at it's climax. We are left to assume
much of what happens next including what happens to
Gaz and his son and this is simply unsatisfactory. We
care too much to be short changed like this. Another
problem is the plot turn which has the two members of
the clique turning to each other for love. The other
members of the unit seem to be okay with this, although
they joke about it a bit, but it would be nice to see
a short scene which proves that the friendships are
all still in place. We want to hear the other 4 say
that they are okay with this.
Still, the film is worthy. Laced with humor and punctuated
with numerous pop disco hits, "The Full Monty" is a
riot. The scene where the boys hear a dance tune while
standing in a queue is hilarious. And even if we don't
get what the title promises us in the end, it's a fun
ride getting there.
Note:
Music by Anne Dudley with "You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate
and "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer prominent in the film.
"You Can Leave Your Hat On," the Joe Cocker tune written
by Randy Newman, is done by Tom Jones here. And of course,
the classic "The Stripper" is played a few times as
well.
The films "Flashdance" and "Singin in the Rain" are
important to the plot and the documentary short "Sheffield:
City on the Move" is an actual 70's Industrial short.
(Review written in 1997)
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