Review of Good Vibrations (2012) by Harry W — 22 Jun 2014

I was unsure what to expect from a film like Good Vibrations, but considering the popularity of it I figured it should be worth a check out.

I was surprised just how impressive I found Good Vibrations. I mean, the film had its flaws, but the spirit of the film is undeniable.

I don't think I've ever seen a film quite like Good Vibrations. Most films like this tend to focus on a band and their members, but Good Vibrations instead focuses on a man who simply had a passion for music and a lot of courage. A man who turned a society in turmoil into his own opportunity. A man whose story really deserved to be told. That man is Terri Hooley, and he has quite a story.

Although Good Vibrations tends to skim over its political context without too much depth, it does bring the complicated political situation of Northern Island into the story well enough. It isn't the most deep and does skim through it at times, but as a whole directors Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn manage to incorporate it into the film well by using well placed archive footage and dramatizing things well enough. The political subtext in Good Vibrations is great, and it ensures that it transcends the usual limitations of a biopic and makes it a much more deep and complex film than it could have been. Good Vibrations is not just about a man with a passion for music, it is about how the Punk Rock scene brought people together in 1970's Belfast, a time when political turmoil was turning violent and tearing lives apart. So Good Vibrations is also about how music made society a better place when it was all dark and violent. Good Vibrations is about the power of music, the violent society that Northern Ireland once was and a portrait of a great man. One thing it is certainly not is boring.

Good Vibrations is also terrific because of the genuine spirit in the film. It is clear that the filmmakers have a passion for the work and so they pay tribute to the musicians in the story with excellent cover bands which put all their spirit into the music and give audiences the same kind of bedazzlement that they gave fans of Punk Rock back in its golden age. The general feel of the film is very energetic because it covers a lot of territory in a decent amount of running time while also using its musical score to give it a truly groovy spirit and help it move along nicely. The energetic atmosphere of the film matches the leading performance of Richard Dormer, but I'll get into that later. The simple fact is that there is plenty of energetic spirit in Good Vibrations, and it is a nice treat on the ears as well as being a good one on the eyes as it combines a lot of nice scenery with fine cinematography so that it does a good job establishing the timeframe of the story. Good Vibrations is like a trip through time and a great one which is jam packed with intelligent filmmaking and great storytelling.

Good Vibrations is definitely a film that anyone should check out if they lived through the 1970's because it is a great trip back through time, and the children of modern day should see it so that they can view a time when music actually meant something to the world and required talent. It's one of those films that many people should see, and I am really happy to say that I did and walked out of it with a lot of respect for protagonist Terri Hooley and the actor who played him, Richard Dormer.

Richard Dormer gave one of the best performances of 2013 in his role as Terri Hooley. I have no idea what Terri Hooley was like in person, but Good Vibrations depicted him as a self-obsessed but well-meaning man who ended up leading the face of Punk Rock in Belfast. The man was a dedicated human being with a lot of passion and dedication to sharing true talent with the world, and Richard Dormer sinks into the role so well that it ends up being an unforgettable performance. He is truly perfect in the role because he has a lot of natural charm and charisma as an actor which he injects into the character and sinks into for the entirety of the film, not sinking out of it once. His line delivery is just perfect because he gets the Irish charm of the man dead on without making it artificial and still maintaining the gritty nature for the man. It feels realistic, and he makes such a compelling effort that it is all too easy to sympathise for Terri Hooley in Good Vibrations. As a portrait of the man, there could not have been a more perfect choice for the role than Richard Dormer because he is just flawlessly charismatic in the part, and his undeniable spirit just sucks viewers in and entertains them in the process.

The supporting performance of Jodie Whittaker is also great because of the powerful chemistry between her and Richard Dormer and since she is a seriously likable presence in the film. Michael Colgan, Karl Johnson and Adrian Dunbar also make powerful supporting efforts in good Vibrations.

So Good Vibrations brings political context into a biopic about Terri Hooley without exploring it too deeply which may leave some viewers confused, the same way that it brings up plenty of subplots into its story which it does not always end up answering, but it manages to overcome its issues easily. The fact is that Good Vibrations has a lot of energy and passion in its story, and it stands out for managing to pay tribute to its main figure very well and for featuring an amazing lead performance from Richard Dormer which is completely unforgettable and just the perfect element of the film.