The Martins

Having never even heard of this film before, I had no pre-conceived idea of what to expect when I saw it on TV last night. I was pleased to see Kathy Burke on screen again, playing her character with the usual mix of aggression and love.

Having only seen Lee Evans in supporting film roles (Something About Mary, Mousehunt), I was pleasantly surprised to see him tone down his stand-up persona, and give his character real credibility.

Having known many families such as the Martins, I can see this was a realistic portrayal of a family man on the breadline who wants something more for his family. I would certainly recommend this film to others.

i thought that although the film maybe a little too small for the cinema along with births deaths and marriages this is a gem i thought the acting superb by all concerned and the small cameo from ray winstone was hilarious people forget what a good comic actor he is . i remember him in GET BACK the tv sitcom also starring a young kate winslet. i like the way tony grounds mixes pathos and bathos in equal measure. just one thing though, does tony grounds have a thing about schoolteachers it seems to have a reccurring themes in most of his work to summarise i would reccommend this more on video than at the cinema but i am sure it will be on tv soon

Lee Evans puts in a superb performance as Bob Martin in this poignant black comedy, proving his comic talent transfers just as easily to the big screen. Kathy Burke also puts in a flawless performance as his long suffering wife.

The picture tells the story of a family we all know, from any council estate around England, neighbours from hell type stuff, and yet at the same time makes you identify with the plight of the main character as he struggles to make sense of his life.

There are some great visual gags as well as some genuinely funny lines and all the while you feel as though Evans is an almost psychotic who could snap at any moment.

If you liked The Parole Officer, I think you'll like this, although slightly darker, the comedy is on a par with Steve Coogan.

Slammed by the critics, The Martin's never really had a chance. Simple.

However, being a heuge fan of Lee Evans, i went along anyway, and thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the cinema. The Martins has flawless performances throughout, and while being cheap, and to be honest, very badly written, it still provides enough laughs to keep you in your seat.

Lee Evans never gets the opportunity to truly show his comic genius, but does do his job well enough to keep fans entertained. And as British as he is, he really should be given the opportunity to take on some more roles in Hollywood, and be given more screen time than his previous well received efforts, such as in Mouse Hunt, and The Fifth Element. The Martin's is not great, but certainly worth a watch. 5/10.................................................................

GYKO

I really don't know why so many of you people have slammed this film, because personally I thought it was one of the best British films to come out in the last twelve months, besides Bridget Jones. The story line was really good and if some of you were real movie critics then you would understand the plot. Robert Martin is just like a lot of out of work men living in a run down council estate living on nothing but what the government pays them. Teenage daughter who is pregnant just like a lot of teenage girls around this country and a quiet normal ten yr old boy who gets bullied at school.

Kathy Burke and Lee Evans I thought played their characters really well and I just wish that Tony Grounds makes this film as a T.V Series because I thought it was a classy drama with a slice of humour in it.

I HIGHLY RECOMEND THIS FILM TO ANYONE WHO CARES ENOUGH ABOUT WORKING CLASS FAMILIES AND THE STRUGGLES WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH. 9/10.