Once more with gusto

Rating: Null/10 (28 January 2004)

Alan Parker does it again! Boasting a canon of varied but always high-quality work (Midnight Express, Fame, Mississippi Burning, The Wall),this man, it seems, can't go wrong. The music is, of course, superb. That Parker managed to get together such a bunch of talented unknowns and had them working well enough to launch a number of chart hits is part of his genius.The other part is sheer storytelling ability. Humor abounds in the film,perhaps a typically Ulsterian brand ("You're working class,aren't you",one member is asked."We would be if there was any work",he replies). There's also some pathos to balance this and,perhaps,a small lesson on the perils of booze,sex & rock'n'roll. Parker and the film won numerous awards,including the Golden Globe and the BAFTA.The film didn't win an Oscar but it certainly isn't unusual for the Academy to overlook quality like this.