Swing

I had the opportunity of seeing a screening of "Swing" at Culver Studios, Los Angeles in August 1999 and was more than pleasantly surprised at the performance of Lisa Stansfield. She's a natural actress with incredible screen comfort and grace. The ensemble was incredible and thoroughly believable. Clarence Clemmons was a very nice added touch as the "voice of reality." I was particularly intrigued with the fact that this film dealt with the hero's (Hugo Speer of "The Full Monty") desire to form an orchestra and not on a bunch of Gap Commercial dancing tazmanian devils. This film never goes in the direction you expect it to. The hero's problems are rarely through any fault of his own nor is he portrayed as a bumbling "ex con who just can't make the right choices." His character is believable, likeable and you will find yourself rooting for him. Ms. Stansfield held more than her own in this film and gave some unique, sensual and breathy renditions of "Watch The Birdie" (originally performed by Miss Anita O'Day) and "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens. Other outstanding characters are Peter Usher as Liam and Rita Tushingham as Mags. This is definitely a feel good movie and a guaranteed TOE TAPPER. Several people commented at the screening that they were very tempted to get up and dance in the aisle.

This director didn't miss a beat in developing these characters. The humour is dark and rich, with a really local flavour and a lot of geniune affection behind each turn. I was amazed at Lisa Stansfield whose performance was so natural you'd think she'd been treading the boards for years. While SWING shows Liverpool and the kind of poverty you can't shake off your boots, it begs you to be optimistic, let loose and come have a good time. Music, faith and hard work (with a bit of luck in the form of an hysterically funny "professional" lottery winner) transform Hugo Speer's world and I left the theatre with the lightest of hearts from experiencing his journey.

And forget about the soundtrack, everybody was tapping and grinning away throughout the film.

What a great date movie! I saw "Swing" at the Wine Country Film Festival. I arrived vaguely downhearted and left feeling alright with the world; in my book, any film that accomplishes that is worth seeing. Within a minute of the credits I knew I was in for a good time, and by the film's exuberant end I hadn't been the slightest let down.

"Swing" doesn't take itself too seriously, and as a result it avoids the cloying sweetnes that has started to creep into the Full Monty's (which film I loved) progeny. It reminded me of some of my favorite Australian comedies --" Strictly Ballroom," "Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert" and "Muriel's Wedding" come to mind -- as well as, oddly enough, the sitcom "Seinfeld."

Why? Probably because I was as charmed and entertained by the characters, their foibles and imperfections, as I was by the circumstances in which they found themselves. The humor was dark here and there, and often skewer-sharp, but it wasn't mean-spirited, which I especially appreciated; too often nowadays lazy writers reach for laughs through the cheapest shot. "Swing" left me with the kind of warm glow I get at the best family reunions or holiday meals.

"Swing" also provides an energizing soundtrack, really smooth, accessible cinematography and one of the funnier Liverpool jokes I've heard in years.

This movie simply makes you smile. I can't understand why so many people need to dissect a movie into a trillion pieces and examine the underlying meanings and hidden agendas. Sometimes all one needs to do is sit back, relax and just enjoy a movie, like I did with this one. The music was great and there were some good laughs. Who cares if the plot is implausible? The whole point of watching a feel good movie like this is that it's detached from reality - I live in reality and sometimes I need to escape it!

The reason I saw Swing at all is because I am a big Lisa Stansfield fan. When I discovered she was making her theatrical debut in a movie about a struggling swing band, I was excited not only to see Ms. Stansfield in her first acting role, but to hear her cover some great big-band standards with that signature voice of hers.

If you get nothing else out of this movie at all, the soundtrack is worth at least one viewing.

Overall, I thought this movie was rather entertaining and very charming, a characteristically cynical and quirky British comedy, with a few minor snags, mainly from plot holes and dialog. (Also, as an American viewer, it was difficult at first to get used to the heavy Liverpool accent.) The one-liners at times try too hard to be funny, but luckily those moments were often quickly followed by one of the movie's greatest strengths, its music.

It's not to say the film has nothing BUT its soundtrack to keep it entertaining. Hugo Speer gives a commendable performance as the frustrated protagonist Martin Luxford—an unlucky chap whose last get-rich-quick-scheme landed him a 2 year prison sentence. While serving time, he learns to play the saxophone from his inmate, and is inspired to change his ways during his parole by starting a swing band. Life is not easy for Marty—his parents live in the projects and his brother is a conniving thief who sells his unsuspecting targets the very security systems he breaks into. Things are so bleak you just beg for some light at the end of the tunnel. But Marty plucks right along persuading his friends to join in on his enterprise and holding out hope that he can live his dream. This set-up, while not thoroughly original, is played out well by Speer. When the movie is not rip-roarin' to the sounds of the jazz age, its up to Speer to make us root for Marty, which he succeeds in doing with devilish charm.

Enter Joan, the ex-girlfriend, played by Stansfield. Marty singles her out to be the lead singer of his developing band (surprise! surprise!) but there's one snag—Joan is married to the police officer who put Marty away in the first place. This sets up all sorts of wonderful possibilities for a love triangle, but Danny McCall comes off as almost unbelievably psychotic as Joan's husband Andy. He seems more obsessed with his job (the man wears police uniform pajamas to bed)than with keeping Joan's affections, and instead of insecure about his marriage he comes off as unreasonable and inexplicably bent on making Marty's life a living hell. It also becomes increasingly difficult to understand why Joan married the man in the first place, since he displays not even one iota of a redeeming quality. But it is fun to see Joan square off against Andy later in the film, in moments where Stansfield shines in ferocious—but fabulous—glory.

Despite some minor but persistent flaws, this movie is a pleasure to watch. Peppered with an odd array of supporting characters—including the intimidating Mighty Mac and his Orange Brigade brass section who look like they're armed for a hit(mob-style, not musical)—the film occasionally takes a delightfully bizarre turn even in otherwise predictable moments.

I would definitely recommend this movie—I have seen it several times—especially if you are looking for an easy, unchallenging but delightful story about the spirit to overcome adversity, an homage to the swing revival movement at the end of the 90's, or a chance to see Lisa Stansfield take down the Liverpool police department.