Review of The Full Monty (1997) by Aaron N — 16 Mar 2009

Dave: Anti-wrinkle cream there may be, but anti-fat-bastard cream there is not.

Despite the subject matter (male stripping), this is a very funny and original movie.

The story involves a group of out-of-work men in England, who decide to put on their own strip show after seeing how much money it can make. Fairly simple setup, with a number of personal stories handled along the way.

A lot of the jokes come from the fact that these are inexperienced, out of work guys, who you do not want to see strip, but they each have their own problems, and know they could make a lot of money doing so.

Police Inspector: So your daddy dances in front of you, does he?

Nathan: Only when he's rehearsing.

The movie plays like a sports movie, with the underdogs going against the odds, while everyone bets against them, in order to hopefully succeed in the end.

We are treated to a lot of montage scenes of these guys learning how to dance and get routines down, as well as just seeing their lives and why they might need to do this.

Robert Carlyle and Tom Wilkinson (in roles that don't need them to be so serious for a change) are very good in their roles, as a man trying to afford joint custody to be with his son and another man looking not feel like a failure in front of his wife.

This whole movie is just very satisfying on a number of levels. Its funny, well put together in terms of its simplistic style and soundtrack, and makes for pleasing moments involving these characters. A joy to watch.

Gaz: I don't suppose you could lend us a jacket...

Dave: Oh, Gaz...

Gaz: Oh, come on, Dave, it's not for me, it's a funeral.

Dave: [pause] What color?

Gaz: [pause] Orange.

Dave: Orange?

Gaz: *Black* for fuck's sake!