Cemetery Junction

A seductive film. A drama , like a comedy. About ages, choices, appearences, mariage, friendship, teens, love, about small things defining each of us and about freedom. A film like an old song. Not for "70's atmosphere, but for accuracy of a near reality to you feel. A film about life, in its basic characteristics and about fundamental option defining it. The best scene, reminding the portraits of Vermeer-Emily Watson preparing the tea for her Mr. Kendrick , in blue dress, viewed from open door .

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's nostalgic comedy drama of 1970s Britain has its heart in the right place. OK, there is nothing strikingly original here – think 'The Likely Lads' meets American buddy movie spliced with stock Gervais stand-up material – but the craft of this movie lies not in breaking boundaries. Instead, it offers its audience a chance to feel the warm cosiness of familiarity.

The film charts the hopes and dreams of three friends as they seek to break out of a small, stagnating community before they end up trapped in the same dead-end lives of their parents. Their loyalty to each other forms the heart of the story, even as they come to realise that their aspirations will inevitably lead them in different directions. The motivation for their friendship relies on a genuine apprehension that there may be no escape from the stifling 50s attitude that pervades their community. This is, as they so wryly remark, a town that the Swinging Sixties passed by.

The characters work well together – there's an engaging chemistry between the three relatively unknown actors. Christian Cooke plays Freddie Taylor, the boy with a job with an insurance company, hoping to leave behind the factory work of his father. Tom Hughes is excellent as the angry, rebellious Bruce, appalled by his dad's lack of spirit yet all too aware of his own grim prospects. The trio is completed by Jack Doolan as 'Snork', the hapless station announcer looking up to the flair of his closest friends. The three leads are ably supported by a cast that includes Ralph Fiennes and Emily Watson, as well as some familiar faces from the Gervais and Merchant back catalogue. A prize for anyone who spots Karl Pilkington's fetching moustache…

Whilst there are moments where the dialogue appears more than a little stilted, for the most part the action fizzes nicely between the three characters. He may only have a small role within the actual film, but Gervais' voice is clearly audible whenever there is an intelligent put-down or a comic observation. At times this intrudes on the authenticity of the characters, but generally the dialogue allows for a neat separation between Gervais' inclination towards biting comic scrutiny, and his more tempered capacity for gentle human interaction.

Including a jukebox medley of a soundtrack that includes 70s classics from, among others, David Bowie and T-Rex, the film has that reflective rose-tinted-spectacle feel that has become so familiar to us in American films, but is far less common with the British cinema industry. Perhaps it's the weighty budget behind this film that sets it apart from other recent British period pieces. Perhaps it's the ability of the directors to throw off their typical British scepticism and capture that sense of breezy reminiscence.

Whatever the answer, this is, for me, far more of an "American" film than movies such as 'Trainspotting', 'The Full Monty', or 'This Is England'. However, there is enough self-conscious humour and knowing sideways glances to make us realise that this is still a British film by a pair of British writers who, in 'The Office', gave us the best portrayal of British society for the new millennium. Gervais and Merchant have confirmed in this film that they are just about capable of making that dangerous leap from television to cinema. There is hopefully more to come, but 'Cemetery Junction' shows that their tongue-in-cheek blend of laughter and tears isn't likely to end with 'The Office' and 'Extras'.

James Gill Twitter @jg8608 Find more reviews at http://web.me.com/gilljames/Single_Admission

I'm always surprised when a film I'd heard had mixed reviews at best, turns out to be so much better than I was expecting and Cemetery Junction is a great example of this.

It's an old fashioned feel good movie. Sure it's maybe a little twee in places and ties things up nicely at the end but what's wrong with that sometimes? Great casting with superb performances from the central few characters and again a stunning turn from Ralph Fiennes. How good an actor is that guy? Poignant, touching, both gently and laugh out loud funny in places, a great character driven plot and just very very good film making IMO. Great use of music too, which like Tarantino movies always adds massively to the overall appeal.

Can't recommend it enough. Gervais and Merchant should be very proud of themselves and I hope they're aware that this is a much better film than the box office takings would suggest.

Similar film styles would be East is East, Sideways and maybe, Letter to Brezhnev. If you liked those, watch this. You'll love it.

I truly loved this film especially after the rubbish films I've seen of late.

It was funny and emotional from start to finish. It was nostalgic of the 70's and the music was fabulous!

Ricky Gervais didn't do the usual Ricky acting and his part wasn't overplayed. The two main characters played by Christian Cooke and Tom Hughes were very good indeed.

It had a good story line, you cared about the characters, the music was great and it was hilarious.

My money was well spent and I would recommend this film without hesitation.

Loved this film. It really took me back. They don't quite nail the period, but you can tell when Fiennes is talking about his schooldays at the start, about leaving at 14, that they're blurring things a bit, or at least his character doesn't realize how things have changed... The preoccupation with obscenity, for example, is more 60s than 70s. (They work the idea so much of the Swinging 60s passing Cemetery Junction by that it's almost homage to Tom Courtenay and Rita Tushingham and that crowd!) It's England before punk, before the computer revolution, when the establishment thought they had won the argument that there was no cause left worth rebelling for/against, when there was still a workshop rather than silicon chip flavor to working life.

You can criticize the Hollywood stuff if you like, but Gervais and Merchant like to work where they can at different levels, as long as they get to take the mick out of all of them. I didn't hear the old radio shows much, but enough to know that. This is no exception. Not a strong plot. You have seen it lots of times before. Billy Liar is a better variation. But great dialog, great comic acting , beautifully observed, very funny, fantastic soundtrack. The only time I have ever liked the Osmonds' Crazy Horses. Great entertainment. You'd need to be really hard to please to be disappointed on that score. Personally I'd have liked a bit more sync with the Reading Festival, maybe some Rory Gallagher on the soundtrack, but bluesy Zeppelin will do, I'm not complaining. I'll take 2 stars off, though.

You still have to read between the lines to see the influence Ireland is starting to have. Made me wonder if they were starting to chicken out a bit from the path they've established, but we'll see, and I think there is something there. In the meantime, if you fancy a really funny film set in Belfast (different decade, 73 in Belfast was hell) there's always "An Everlasting Piece". But Cemetery Junction is not as petty and insignificant as some of the reviewers suggest. What exactly were they expecting? "Jane Eyre"? "War and Peace"?