Fisherman's Friends: One and All

So the record company have decided that the chart-topping singers have lost their lustre. The new boss "Chandra" (Ramon Tikaram) thinks it's time to move on. Luckily, though, he is persuaded to give them one more chance if they can prove they still have what it takes - and so it falls to this rather ... now rather dysfunctional collective to prove their worth. It's very much a continuation of the first, amiable if unchallenging, film with reasonable efforts from the one-gear James Purefoy ("Jim") leading the way as the story edges along. There is a touch too much soap in this for me - the relationship between him and the inspiring Imelda May ("Aubrey") had an inevitability to it, and there is a little rather contrived and implausible marital discord between the lovely "Rowan" (Sam Swainsbury) and his missus. That said there is a strong community spirit to the film. Maggie Steed is always reliable, and her part here is a little more substantial. There is some lovely local photography and just about enough humour here, though, sadly, not a great deal by way of their harmonising. I could have been doing with a bit more music throughout this, really rather long and thinly spread comedy. It has a certain feel-good factor to it - Dave Johns manages to raise a smile now and again - and it still retains much of the charm and cheeriness from the first film with a rousing ending that certainly gets the toes tapping. Perhaps not a film you'll recall watching in three months, but still engaging enough. read more