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Fisherman's Friends


Ten fisherman from Cornwall achieve a Top 10 hit after they are signed by Universal Records.


The fisherman's friends follows a group of old men who have an unlikely rise to fame after a dare goes wrong, this film really brings a lot to the table that hasn't really been previously been thought about in film. The plot for example brings a new and fresh twist by taking us away from the loud and famous rockstars we usually see at the cinema, and instead gives us a relaxing story that has plenty of twists and high tides along the way. But the main question is, is the film totally lost at sea or is it the catch of the day? Here are my thoughts.


I'll start of by saying how important it is to introduce characters well into a film, not only does this help us to understand who they are but it also just allows us to be able to really get into the film in general and amplify character relationships and moods. In this film, they were introduced very nicely and in a really good way which helped to create a powerful and entertaining effect throughout the film. By showing us individual clips and snippets of each of the main characters going about their daily lives not only did this help to show us the importance of the band to the characters but also the community vibes too and this was excellently put across. Seeing the relationships that each character had with each other was really powerful and definitely helped the film to really grab our attention. The musical themed introduction also provided something a bit different too which I liked, not only did the music help to introduce us to the musical theme of the film, but it also just helped to really make some plain scenes interesting and they definitely fitted in well with the camera shots and pans that were in the film. I like how much time was dedicated to these introductions at the beginning of the film too, I feel that just enough time was allocated so that we knew the characters basically, but then it made them interesting enough for us to want to keep watching and stay interested in the film. Not only were the characters introduced nicely but the acting and overall character relationships were really engaging and exciting to watch, not only did it make the film really seem genuine but the addition of jokes and powerful emotional scenes really brought us down to Earth and helped us to remember that it was a group of genuine people. The addition of humour is a nice touch though, it just means that the whole film isn't something to be fully taken seriously, because it provides a lot of laughs where appropriate and these jokes seemed to be genuinely funny for all.


It's a really solid story about not letting modernity get in the way of tradition, friendship and soul. David Hayman puts in a solid performance as Jago while Daniel Mays, and Tuppence Middleton help this film move along very nicely by putting in some really good performances which definitely made the film exciting and enjoyable. I was also very impressed with how the plot was executed too, not only did it have a really light and positive feel to it because of the strong character models but it was also laid out really well in a way that helps the film to progress in a straightforward and interesting way. The plot idea and the way in which it was executed was really engaging too, not only did it feel unique but it also genuinely felt like it challenged and pushed the boundaries of what we would expect from a similar film - especially by adding in a mix of different cultures and themes. The plot is also really entertaining too, from seeing the various characters out at sea, to seeing them in London, there really is a variety of different things and scenes that happen in this film which really help to keep it fresh and interesting and there definitely weren't any scenes that felt boring or stale. That was partly due to the character relationships, they moved quickly which helped them to develop in a nice and believable way and this helped them to seem real, genuine and entertaining too. Not only is the plot laid out well but the twists also really help the film to entertain and stand out too, by adding in these twists such as Jago's death and Danny buying the pub at the end of the film it just really helps to keep us on our toes and constantly guessing and wondering what would happen next. The plot was really nicely laid out from start to end and left us with a variety of happiness, sadness and excitement. There's some nice humour that stems naturally from the tight knit community friendships when an outsider comes into their lives, and some truly wonderful harmonies in the singing of those shanties. I'm not a folk song fan but there's no denying the music is resonant and lyrical.


This film definitely did come across some rough waters though, pardon the pun but some scenes felt a little corny (ok, I enjoyed that!) and a little hackneyed, with a few too many references to what locals were up to in the 1650s which just made us feel a little bit distant and confused as it wasn't really relevant or important but it made us feel secluded and left out from the films plot and characters and just didn't feel necessary. I also felt that just far too little detail was given into providing us with a background of the characters before their journey in the film, it would have been nice to see their lives before the story began just to help us get a bit more context and detail on the types of characters we were working with.


Some of the jokes were also a little bit corny and dry around the edges but there wasn't much of a problem with these and they still generated plenty of laughs too, the other viewers I watched the film with mentioned that they felt the film was a little bit too predictable however I disagree, I felt that it produced a lot of twists and surprising scenes. The film isn't exactly fast paced to begin with, and with the stilted dialog and acting and the stag-do group being such caricatures of posh boy London folk, you do fear for the film in the first 15 minutes or so. The set up also feels totally unbelievable. However, after this it starts to pick up speed and momentum.


Overall, I would give this film an 8. I felt that it provided a really solid and exciting viewing experience, mainly because of the great vibes and emotions that the great character set provided us. The plot was strong and unique, as well as the film flowing nicely and managing to keep our attention well through twists and the ever changing relationships. However, the film felt a little short, it would have been really good to get some more context on the characters, and some scenes (such as the concussion) definitely felt like they needed more screen time to really help them have an impact. But overall, I would definitely recommend this film to all, it was a really entertaining film and definitely will entertain you, regardless of your film (or music!) taste!


Thank you for reading my review, I hope you enjoyed reading it and I hope you have a lovely day! :)

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