Boy George - A Vida é Meu Palco

Having only recently read 'Take It Like A Man', Boy George's compelling and brilliantly entertaining autobiography, I was excited by the prospect of this. I've never been a Culture Club or Boy George fan, but I love tales of rock 'n' roll excess and I was happy to find the book did exactly this.

This film, however, proved to be a bit of an anti-climax. Whilst everything appeared to be accurately depicted and the era authentically portrayed, the problem was that it stopped just as things were getting interesting. The book really came into its own once Boy George and Culture Club found fame but film stops dead at this point, with the exception of a few flash-forwards to 1986 when George was engulfed in controversy and smack addiction. I appreciate what went on before is relevant but what was shown in the film should have been condensed down, allowing the majority of it to focus on what happened thereafter. But I guess that ultimately wasn't the point.

I definitely think George's fame, popularity and infamously colourful life warrants a screen adaptation, but merely giving us an insight into what went on beforehand makes me think this was a missed opportunity.

On a slightly more positive note, to hear that the lead was only 17 is astounding and he did a terrific job in what must have been a very challenging role.

Worried About The Boy (2010) -

This film had a cracking soundtrack/backing track and it wasn't even saturated with the songs of Culture Club, which in many ways was a shame, but in other ways it showed the music that had been part of Boy George's (Douglas Booth) life until that point.

Because of it's lower "Made For TV" budget it was far more gritty than the likes of 'Rocketman' (2019) and 'Bohemian Rhapsody' (2018), with its concentration more on George and his origins specifically and less about the band or his rise through celebrity.

Personally I wanted to learn a lot more about the years in between 1981 and 1986 and the years that followed, so perhaps it's time for a follow up

I also felt that there should have been more sex and nudity, especially based on the rumours of George's sex life and because Douglas Booth is a handsome guy. I thought that he did a good job in the lead role.

This was also the first time I've seen Freddie Fox play someone other than Freddie Fox and he did it really well too in his role of Marilyn.

And it was interesting to see Richard Madden as yet another gay boyfriend type in the role of Kirk Brandon (Who in real life tried to sue George for his claims that they had a relationship and lost). Maybe Rich will play my husband one day?

I really enjoyed this tale, despite its limited time frame and I'm not joking about a sequel being due. The story of (Boy) George O'Dowd only got more interesting after the events depicted here, certainly as far as I can recall, and even if they were only filmed as a source of entertainment and not entirely factually correct, they would be a great curiosity for Culture Club fans and film buffs alike.

This instalment was acted well and I felt directed and edited with care too. Akin to 'Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!' (2006) and 'Frankie Howerd: Rather You Than Me' (2008), it was a warts and all piece about an icon.

836.71/1000.

The costumes and setting of this drama looked amazing and I could not fault the lead performances, but it was so SLOW. I lasted one hour and the action could have been taken care of in half the time. And sex and drugs and rock and roll are never as interesting to watch as they are to participate in. Boy George's pre-fame antics did not make for interesting viewing.

I was never a fan of Boy George but I always thought that he seemed a lovely, intelligent person and thankfully that view has not changed as a result of this drama, but not enough happened to keep my attention. And I don't remember seeing Mark Gatiss at all, unless he was in some effective 'League of Gentlemen' disguise. Did he appear in the first hour that I watched?

I was born in 1991, so i missed out on the 80's, which really frustrates me, because i really wish i could have been part of it. I felt like i kind of was watching this, i thought it captured essences of it really well. Although i wasn't around for the 80's, i know a lot of my stuff about the era, having listened to all the music and loved it, and watched many things. I thought Douglas Booth did a fantastic job playing the role of George. He made it extremely moving to watch, and i cannot believe he is only 17. He really demonstrated his wonderful talent, and will no doubt have a very successful career. Mark Gatiss was another performance that was just basically outstanding, playing the role of Malcolm Mclaren, he was brilliant, i thought he had him down to a tee, he really showed a lot of his characteristics. Then again, i have always found him to be a great character actor. Mat Horne playing Jon moss, i thought was an interesting choice, but i thought he carried it off brilliantly. And i can't forget Marc Warren as Steve Strange. Imspired. He was amazing. The music was used in a very clever way during this programme, not just a load of well known 80s tracks thrown in for good measure, like most 80s programmes we see nowadays. I think every track was so appropriate to the scene it was used in. Also, i was very surprised to hear 'Hiroshima mon amour' playing in the opening titles, it was great. Overall, i thought the visuals were fantastic. The Blitz club sequences were ace, and the outfits were very 80s (and it really is all coming back). I thought this programme was a refreshing TV experience, and i myself, thoroughly enjoyed it. It was funny, yet really moving. All in all a great show.

Douglas Booth made an utterly stunning and very watchable Boy George, capturing his sharp witted and ultimately rather romantic character without ever resorting to campness or cliché. I enjoyed this drama for the gorgeous recreation of what must have been a fascinating time in London's cultural history and the fabulous design of the costumes and sets. But even though the dialogue at times sparkled (special mention here for Freddie Fox playing a magnificent Marilyn) it was rather a case of style over substance. The story just felt very thin and although there were some surprisingly touching moments (with Kirk as well as John Moss) there just didn't seem enough story here to sustain an hour and a half. I felt the addict section of the story really limped along and felt underdeveloped and unnecessary in particular. However they did a good job of making the characters engaging and likable and for that reason it was worth the hour and a half spent with them. I just would have liked to have seen a bit more of events, and also a bit more about George's motivations - what made him who he was.