Festival

I made a mistake and don't want my comment submitted

don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit, don't submit

Ok. More fun location spotting than watching the film. Not even that redolent of a late summer in Edinburgh. A lot of actors under used. Nothing fleshed out, no one particularly interesting. Very superficial. Doesn't add up to much. Ultimately a bit pointless. If art is this depressing why bother?

An accurate portrayal of the vibe on the streets, boozing in the courtyards and ragbag mix of shoestring productions in dingy halls ranging from high artistic pretension to low comedy. More to the point it's a bloody good film, presenting us with some memorable portraits of aspiring artistes, jaded stand-ups, local journalists and citizens rubbing up against each other in pubs, hotel rooms and rented flats, and of course venues, with some pithy exchanges hurled between floor and stage. The actors are well served by a realistic, witty script that highlights the distinctive backgrounds and foibles of their various characters. They excite your sympathy, affection, pity or distaste even as you laugh. Every scene is either funny or sad, usually both. And the musical soundtrack is exquisite. It's not perfect - there are one or two moments of over-dramatised conflict towards the end that don't ring true, probably driven by some perceived need to pander to commercial expectations. The film should have retained its faith in the bubbling undercurrents which have swept it along so nicely until then, but thankfully it ends on an appropriate note of bittersweet irresolution.

Festival. Written by Annie griffin who is best known for her channel 4 series 'the book group' (I have to admit at this point that I seemed to have missed that one) and staring familiar faces from the world of comedy shows such as 'green wing', 'Garth Marenghi's dark place' and 'this life'. This film is almost a mock-umentary. It parodies the Edinburgh fringe festival and some of the characters that inhabit this world of shows, plays and street theatre. The first thing to say is too much bagpipes!! I hate them with a passion. But that is a personal thing and no real reflection on the film, which is very good. The best bits of this kind of fly on the wall look at all things fringe like are the bits where the cast are taking the p#ss out of the whole pretentiousness of it all. The comedy-judging panel arguing over whether comedy should or shouldn't get laughs is brilliant. Elsewhere the film is punctuated with great one liners delivered by a huge cast who range from drunk comedians to sex mad journalists, an over enthusiastic one woman performer to a person so famous they don't care and have given up trying. It is in the subtlety of these characters, who were it not for the festival would probably have never met, that the story get it's rich ideas. If you have ever been to the fringe you will recognise the sense of madness portrayed of a city under siege from people from all walks of life convinced they have talent. Some have and go on to bigger things others fall by the wayside. This is a story of these people and of those who have made it but could lose it or in the case of one character hasn't made it after 8 years at the festival. Funny, dark and an insight into human nature alongside creativity. Festival will not be for all, but for those who visit they will come away rewarded. I have resisted giving away the best scene lets just say it happens to the ventriloquist.

If you've seen Altman's 'Nashville', you've kind of seen this. It's just the era and backdrop that are different. Substitute Daniella Nardini for Geraldine Chaplin, Mangan or O'Dowd for Keith Carradine and you have the general idea. Griffin's best-known piece, 'The Book Group', also had multiple plot lines, but had time to develop over two three-hour series. In 'Festival', for instance, the plot line with the crazy Canadians had a fantasy quality to it, but didn't seem to be going anywhere. On the other hand, watching Petra staring at a drink, trying not to fall off the wagon, was heart-wrenching, as was the chat-up scene where she realizes as she talks about her job, that she has no real life apart from Sean, and hateful as he is he is all that stands between her and a return to drinking. That was brilliantly done, as was the young actress falling for Sean because she sees him as nobody else does, because she doesn't know his work or how famous he is. I wanted to like this film a lot more than I eventually did. It is worth seeing, but like so many British movies, it doesn't warrant the big screen treatment when a TV series would have been better.