Brassed Off

Good title. I watched the film, 'Brassed Off' last night. I knew it was a good film, but it hit a chord last night, probably because of my mood this week. I wanted to watch something with depth but with an uplifting ending. And I wanted it real. So, 'Brassed Off' it was.

I actually think this should be compulsary viewing in schools instead of any old film near the end of term when films are shown because.....???? I'll leave that one. For now.

I'm from West Yorkshire and the film is set in a mining community in South Yorkshire. I'm not from a mining community, but I 'get' the Yorkshire traits in the characters. It's such a well-written film. Fantastic dialogue capturing the humour. As soon as the film started, I knew it was the right choice. I needed grounding this week and hearing the accents and this grim, familiar, funny humour immediately did that. The way of not giving compliments, or giving them in a way that is not obvious.

And then there is the reality of the miner's strikes and the closing of the pits and how that affects the community. And how important music is when all around is falling apart. In the 1930's big Hollywood musicals were popular because they were the opposite of the hardship of people's lives. Films, theatre, music, arts are the flip side of difficult times. The Colliery Band is what holds the men together when they are losing their jobs. So the bailiffs come and marriages crumble and anger and illness result from paying for striking and working with coal dust. This is our history. And people's lives. And the film works so well because it encompasses these things but with strong, believable characters and honest humour and of course, a little bit of love. Go see.