Marvellous

Marvellous is such a small movie in scope and ambition that it shouldn't really register.

It was made for UK TV and not overly hyped, yet it turns out to be a career defining work for an actor that has already had all manner of praise heaped on him for his role in Infamous and his many franchise movie roles (Potter, Hunger Games and The Muppets.).

Like his contemporary Michael Sheen (Cloughie in The Damned United and David Frost in Frost/Nixon) he is adept at playing performances that impersonate the stars (Truman Capote in Infamous). Only this time the star is not really anyone outside of Stoke has ever heard of.

He plays, Neil (Nello) Baldwin, a small guy with learning difficulties who has no fear of the conventions of life because the fear button in his brain is switched off. The result is an outrageous journey of hope over fear, joy over sadness and opportunity over failure.

A clown. Stoke City's kit manager. University of Keele doer. Crazy jobs each and all. And all brought to life by this amazing man's unique personality.

Three times I wept. It's a joyous movie but has deeply sad moments and is an absolute must see.

Peter Bowker's script tells the real-life story of Neil Baldwin (Toby Jones), who overcame his learning difficulties to become a stalwart member of Stoke City F.C.'s backroom staff under manager Lou Macari (Tony Curran), as well as undertaking a variety of other jobs such as greeting new freshmen and women at Keele University and running his own soccer team.

The production ingeniously combines dramatic action with brief interludes in which the fictional Neil encounters the real Neil and asks him questions about his life. This dramatic strategy draws attention to Baldwin's optimistic outlook on life, his enduring faith in God, and his belief that people are basically good-natured. Such qualities have given him the strength to cope with life, especially the trauma of losing his mother (played by Gemma Jones in the film).

MARVELLOUS also includes musical interludes, in which a choir sings popular songs, both secular and religious ("The Lord's My Shepherd I'll Not Want") accompanied by ukuleles. During one such sequence we see the fictional Neil participating, even though he does not really feel like it in the wake of his mother's death. Such scenes emphasize the importance of community spirit to Neil's life as a means of providing him with emotional and physical support. They serve as a musical counterpoint to the sequences set in the changing-rooms of Stoke City F.C., where Neil listens to (and sometimes participates) in the banter between Macari and his players.

Julian Farino's production eschews historical accuracy for dramatic effect; we learn at the end that Neil has worked at Keele for nearly half a century, yet the bulk of the action appears to be set in the late Eighties and early Nineties (judging from the age of the cars seen in the background). Such strategies emphasize the timelessness of the tale; we are not witnessing a period drama per se, but a triumphant chronicle of an individual overcoming adversity and carving out a niche for himself that is both professionally and personally satisfying.

Toby Jones gives a memorable performance as Neil. This versatile actor, who moves from film, to television and radio with equal facility, portrays the central character as someone whose naivété is particularly endearing. His capacity for ending conversations with logical non sequiturs is amazing, rendering his friends and acquaintances absolutely speechless. Jones' most memorable moment comes in a sequence just after his mother's death, when he sits alone in his cluttered apartment, staring at the wall, and bursts into floods of tears as he finally understands that he is now totally alone. But, true to form, he surmounts this loss and ends up achieving one of his cherished ambitions; to play for Stoke City (even if it is only a testimonial match).

MARVELLOUS is one of those understated dramas that British television does really well. Full of unexpected pleasures as well as some extremely funny lines, it deserves to be considered a modern classic.

Directed by Julian Farino and written by Peter Bowker, this film tells the story of Neil Baldwin as he goes through his life following his ambitions. Early in his life Neil is considered to have learning difficulties, but this never stops him. He joins the circus because he wants to and becomes Nello the Clown. When the circus leaves him behind his mothers tells him he needs a job, but it's ok, he finds his way to Keele University where welcome new students and runs the football team. When his mother mentions that he needs financial stability, it is ok because he gets a job at his beloved Stoke city as a mascot and kitman. Along the way he meets Tony Benn in the House of Commons, he meets and befriends Prince Andrew, he plays in a testimonial match for Stoke City and (almost) scores the winning goal (ok, nowhere near!), he gets to sit with the race officials at the Oxbridge boat race - all because he just asks to do it. Neil goes to prove that with the right attitude and outlook on life, anything is possible and that we are only restricted by ourselves.

Toby Jones brings Neil "Nello" Baldwin to life in this biopic and he does a fantastic job. There are scenes scattered through this film where the real Neil Baldwin sits alongside Toby Jones and it's plain to see that they aren't identical, but what Jones does is bring the character to life in all his glory, and importantly he brings Baldwin's story to life. As Hollywood often discovers, you can throw millions and billions of dollars and special effects at a movie and sometimes it lacks a heart to make it noteworthy. This film does quite the opposite, like it's source material it has a massive heart, and that is enough to really engage the audience and let them fall in love with Baldwin, like so many people who have met him have done too.

This is a fun and uplifting film that has the ability to warm the heart and give its audience a range of emotions. You would be forgiven for thinking that some parts of the film are made up due to how bizarre they are, but in truth the only things that are really made up are some of the scenery and environments that Jones is filmed in (for example, Stoke City had moved to the Britannia Stadium long before the film was made and their old Victoria ground had been knocked down. The film used Crewe Alexandra's ground as well as Wrexham's to get around this.). I could happily recommend this to anyone as a down to earth, feel-good film that would suit a wide audience and have something there for everyone. It is comparable to other kitchen-sink British media experienced and it uses some old-school approaches to present itself, as well as some more modern techniques too. A joy to watch and deserving of the name on the box, this truly is "Marvellous".

Simply 'Marvellous'. This word itself describes the movie. As 2014 is reaching its end, we can see many lists for best movies/TV series floating on the internet. And that's how I find this movie with IMDb rating 8.2. So naturally, I put it on my watch list. And yes that was a decision I certainly didn't regret. This is a biopic and is one of the best dramas I watched in 2014. It is a TV movie aired on BBC TWO.

You will get fully involved with the life of Neil. A man who has learning disabilities but in fact he is differently enabled. He is sure of everything. For him life is happiness. He does everything what he wants to do. Every new person he meet is very good friend of him. He can simply ask any thing and surly gets it. A very good job done by director Julian Farino. Also a very nice story and script by Peter Bowker. Outstanding acting by Toby Jones and Gemma Jones as Neil and his mother Mary. They both gave a memorable performance that will certainly add some accolades in their chest. I enjoyed the movie, every bit of it. It plays with your emotions. You will laugh and will want to cry at some points. Full of fun yet teaches you the philosophy of a great life. And be careful, if you miss one line, you may miss a very beautiful message/ outlook on life.

In every department it's a perfect movie. Great story and script. Good direction. Camera captures every emotion very cleverly. Back ground music goes with the movies pace. And of course very good use of choir sings popular songs accompanied by ukuleles. And in some department I have no hesitation to compare it with one of the greatest movie of all time "Forrest Gump".

I will give it a 10 on the scale of 10.

Marvellous

I have been meaning to seeing Marvellous for a while since it was shown on TV last year and i have to ask myself why did it take so long ? because this film is a joy to behold. It's the story of Neil Baldwin , who's outlook in life is infectious and lives life too the full . Along the way , picks up friends that mere mortals like you and me wouldn't think of mixing with. Toby Jones is fantastic as Nello and this confirms that he is currently one of the best character actors around today. What is really good about this is the interspersion of the real Neil Baldwin who confirms long the way that this did ( or didn't ) really happen . Director , Julian Farino has made a film here that can only be described as joyous and it is worth the licence fee alone. Nello is a legend . Bloody Marvellous. 10 out of 10