WHEN SATURDAY COMES
A film review by Sue Roberts
Copyright 1996 Sue Roberts
Directed by Maria Guise Starring Sean Bean, Emily Lloyd, Pete Postlethwaite, Craig Kelly. Written by James Daly and Maria Giese
A fun film about Northern life in general and football in particular. Sean Bean,playing Jimmy Muir, turns in a performance that's 100% Blade as a local lad gets a chance to try out for his home side of Sheffield United.
I love baseball movies, but it made a really nice change to see s film about the English national game. A soccer movie seems such an obvious choice of subject that one wonders why there's been so long a gap since THE GREAT ESCAPE!
This story is also an escape, of someone from a background with little expectation. Jimmy Muir failed as a boy to realise his dream of representing his town by playing in their team. He is held back by his family environment until a new wages clerk Annie, played by Emily Lloyd, starts work at the same place and turns the key to his heart.
The theme of the piece is about getting a second chance at something you really want to do. Fascinating to see an American angle on British life.
However, for anyone who has ever lived north of "Watford Gap", it's a memory of home. The kids seemed nervous with accent as the piece opened, but in no time at all, whole cast were well into it.
For a tale set against an industrial environment, Maria Guise managed to convey the humour and friendship of life in the area. The impression the writers put across was not one of lack of opportunity, but rather an inability take the things on offer when the pub beckons. The difficulty of choosing to be individual when you've always been part of a crowd.
One was amused by the their desire to show the male in his habitat, I'd never seen the inside of a betting shop before.
The striking use of vibrant colour in the photography gave the picture an upbeat quality even during the most emotional moments.
Such a nice change to see a UK film where the women weren't still wearing corsets, (not even the stripper!) Even at its most "over the top" this movie felt closer to real life than anything we'd seen in ages. Bags of life and atmosphere-Makes you want to rush out and see a football match right away!
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