“Yes,” comes my equally imaginary reply, “I love films so I’ve booked in to see a shitload of them.* Buckle up as we’re only at about the halfway point. Yes, you’re right to make your mouth do that “oh” thing in surprise.”
Been So Long (2018)
Dir. Tinge Krishnan / Dur. 100 mins
In A Nutshell:- A bright, neon-lit, Camden-based romantic musical comedy about a single mum falling for a fresh-out-of-prison ex-con.
The Good:- Look, we all know that I’m a sucker for a good musical. It’s like an album you can watch. Given that British musicals are pretty thin on the ground, I thought I’d give this one a go. The real standout in this is Michaela Coel. I’ve not seen her Channel 4 series Chewing Gum but may have to now as she was a revelation. Funny, smart, strong, terrifying and vulnerable is a difficult mix to pull off but she manages it with aplomb. It’s very much her film and she drives it along. That isn’t to say that the rest of the cast aren’t enjoyable too (especially Ronke Adekoluejo) but she is definitely the stand out. The chemistry between her and Arinzé Kene feels believable too (possibly assisted by the fact that they've been real life friends for about 10 years). Also, it’s good to see London portrayed on film as somewhere bright and vibrant for once rather than dour and dingy (British films) or full of Beefeaters and red buses (any American film). There are also a good few laugh out loud moments in there (including a surprise participant in a musical number).
The Bad:- I have to say that the songs were fine but not really that memorable. I didn't find myself humming any of them afterwards and haven’t felt an urge to listen to the soundtrack so a bit of a drawback for a musical. Also, George MacKay’s performance is amusing at times but does veer into stagey pantomime quite a bit which sort of works for the character but feels a bit tonally jarring. In fact, a few of the supporting characters and their subplots feel a bit thinly sketched without a real satisfying pay off.
The Verdict:- Despite the lack of instantly hummable tunes (I think that The Greatest Showman may have spoiled me for new musicals for the time being), I still enjoyed this. Michaela Coel is immensely watchable and the film kept me engaged through to the end. A feel good film that's worth a watch (yet another one that will landing on Netflix soon…)
Festival Tidbit:- The songs were written by Arthur Darvill who played Rory in Doctor Who (I genuinely did not realise this before I booked it).
Next Time:- Let’s get animated, shall we?
* I think you’ll find that “shitload” is indeed the collective noun for a lot of films.
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