Review of Still Crazy (1998) by Stuart K — 16 Apr 2013

Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais (The Likely Lads, Porridge and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.) and directed by Brian Gibson, (Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986), What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) and The Juror (1996)), this is a very funny comedy about the pains of getting back together after being away for so long, and it has a very good cast and some good songs along the way as well.

In 1977, rock band Strange Fruit split up on stage at the Wisbech Rock Festival after a bolt of lightning struck the stage, plus drugs and over-inflated egos also contributed to the split. Flash forwards 20 years, and keyboardist Tony Costello (Stephen Rea) is recognised in Ibiza, and is asked if he would get Strange Fruit back together for a revivial of the Wisbech Rock Festival, he finds original runaround girl Karen Knowles (Juliet Aubrey), and they go and track down the Fruits.

Bassist Les Wickes (Jimmy Nail) is a roofer, lead singer Ray Simms (Bill Nighy) is nearly bankrupt and drummer Beano Baggot (Timothy Spall) is on the run from the Inland Revenue, but original roadie Hughie Case (Billy Connolly) gets them gigs in Holland.

It's got some moments of hilarity, moments of pathos, moments of rock and roll excess and moments of good music, and there's some good camaraderie between the cast, even if it is oldies getting into mischief.