Almost Married

Sitting in the cinema, I very much enjoyed laughing out loud many times during the film. There aren't many films that I would say that about; this is truly one of them.

It's not just a comedy; there is good depth to the story and the characters, with some darker moments and very serious challenges to deal with. The film is looking at male and female differing attitudes towards sex, relationships, truth and honesty. What does happen on a stag do? This is one humorous take on it.

There are some nice twists to keep you thinking. In the end the story is left a little open for the audience to make up there own mind, which works well.

All in all is worth watching.

I'm not sure if I was watching the same movie as the other reviewers that have all left 8 and above, it begs the question of what they rating they give a good film.

Personally I'm a big fan of British movies, I do what I can to see them and rent them when they come up. I have a lot of faith in the acting and writing of fellow Brits to deliver. From Blackadder to Four Lions there's a lot of genius in British comedy. Sadly none of it is here.

That said the dialogue and direction are good, there was plenty of quality that helped mask an underlying problem. Eventually the dialogue seems to become very repetitive. After an hour I'd got bored of the whining of the protagonist and the sheer banality of his mate, with too few laughs to lift the movie from being dreary. Just because a movie has men wee-ing in it and talks about STI's doesn't make it edgy or even particularly clever and it certainly doesn't make it funny.

5 stars isn't bad for me and its a nod to the positive aspects of the film. It's better than I could do, but it isn't good.

If you've watched this film and given it a low viewer rating score, just go back and watch the last 15-20 minutes or so again. Because that's the heart of the film.. that and the scene where his close friend reveals to him what ultimately becomes the damning confession when linked with the ending. It's a pretty darned good little film. Maybe lots of viewers would want to be the 'fly on the wall' and see what transpires shortly thereafter.. I know I would. There's lots left to a thought process that takes place off-screen in this film. It's not always the most entertaining of methods to put forth to the viewing audience.. but it can at times be very effective. Watch the film again.. then decide how you ultimately feel about it.

I was lucky enough to be invited to a private screening of Almost Married, I didn't know what to expect as this is director Ben Cookson's first film and I admit I wasn't going into the cinema with any great expectations. What I was treated to was both surprising and extremely satisfying. Almost Married isn't afraid to shock the viewer, with scenes of male urination and visits to GUM clinics, although none of this is done gratuitously, what AM does so brilliantly is to address issues that are relevant in today's society, it does it with a cheeky smile on it's face and some crude jokes along the way. STDs and binge drinking are as much a part of British culture as Strawberries at Wimbledon and Fish and chips on Margate beach are now a days, so it's refreshing for a film to be brave enough to highlight these issues. It would have been easy for AM descend into ever increasing crudeness for crudeness' sake, thankfully this is simply not the case, the issues are handled with a degree of sensitivity and at times tenderness that is virtually always missing from low budget Brit comedy Flicks such as this one. Emily Attacks' performance was fantastic, giving the viewer laughs as well as moments of genuine emotion as she realises the relationship she loves so much is ebbing away from her. The two leading men play off each other brilliantly, Philip McGinley is perfectly cast as our protagonist, the desperate Kyle, who concedes to having made a huge mistake on his Stag do and will do (pretty much) anything to avoid telling his wife to be that he has contracted an STD. Mark Stobbart provides the majority of the laugh out loud moments as Kyle's sidekick, the outrageous, outspoken Jarvis, who conjures up increasingly interesting ideas to get Kyle off the hook and out of trouble, his unique wisdom and words of advice make for some extremely funny moments. The entire cast manage to keep the balance between funny and tender perfectly, even scenes involving prostitutes in a brothel are handled with maturity and discernment. The final scene of the film throws up an unexpected and brilliant twist that you won't see coming. I left the cinema with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction after 97 minutes of pure entertainment. In short, this is a superb directorial debut and I would recommend anyone to go and see it, you won't be disappointed. Bravo Ben Cookson, I for one am excited to see what your next venture will be. This will surely be the start of a long and successful career in film.

Almost Married perfectly depicts "young" British culture with its hilarious yet disastrous consequences. Although the protagonist was male, I found myself laughing hysterically and connecting with Kyle as I followed his journey of desperation to uncover the truth related to that fateful night. The young British cast only added to the credibility of the film and their on screen chemistry helped me (and each member of the audience no doubt) relate to the characters and their story.

The highlight of this comedy is that it does not push into the absurd - an irritating tactic used in so many other British comedies for a cheap laugh. It refines itself by touching on the darker moments within relationships and the boundaries of trust, whilst still retaining a decent level of humour.

Definitely a film I'd highly recommend and I look forward to seeing what else the talented Ben Cookson has up his sleeve!