Save the Cinema

A pretty cool true story, but the film itself? Rather poor.

'Save the Cinema' is simply too on the nose for my liking, it's cringey in a fair few bits and even pretentious in others. It does have a good cast, though that aside it struggles to get away from the fact that it feels like a made-for-television Christmas-esque movie - literally so with the plot.

Samantha Morton, Jonathan Pryce and Tom Felton are as solid as you'd expect, though the Welsh accents kept taking me out of it - Pryce was born in Wales admittedly, yet even his accent sounded off... might just be me though. I didn't overly like any of that trio's, or their co-star's tbh, performances though, I just like Morton/Pryce/Felton from others things more than anything.

I wouldn't say this is a bad film, it's just a really lousy one in my opinion. I could see it finding an audience though.

A nice gentle film with a very strong cast telling the old story of a lone voice inspiring others to action.

Based on fact and set in Carmarthen it shows the proud inhabitants standing up for something they really believe in.

I enjoyed it very much.

I just wanted to note the other review for criticising a true story for being predictable, unremarkable and having not enough funny characters.... In a TRUE STORY, I mean imagine being that daft wanting the chuckle brothers involved just for some banter.

It's a heartwarming film about someone who cared about something which is alien in 2022, I mean care, not sit on the internet typing good words to look like you're a good person. It's just a feel good, honest film that shows you the hood in people.

Whilst letting governments tax people to near poverty we risk losing the traditions and charm that made this country great, at some point it'll become uninhabitable in the uk as it can't be cost effective unless you're in the one percent.

I miss how the uk used to be, community spirit, charm and togetherness, real togetherness not cheap clapping ploys for photos, but a real big hearted safe community.

A bit like Finding Your Feet - a cast of great actors given a rather tedious script. Entirely predictable with two dimensional characters. The film actually starts well with a show from the eighties and moves forward to the actors as adults and parents. That part actually works.

After that it gets a little tedious.

With an excellent central performance of Samantha Morton, Save the Cinema will have you laughing out loud one minute and wiping a tear away a moment later. Morton plays 'Liz the Lyric' beautifully, and although she makes the part her own, it is obvious that Morton and the production team have had access to archive documentary footage with snippets of real life dialogue faithfully and skillfully re-enacted.

A stellar supporting cast (a who's who of Welsh talent) topped by Tom Felton as a town councillor and Johnathon Pryce as her inspirational retired school teacher are swept up in Liz's quest to save the condemned cinema of the title.

The fictional elements woven into the historical facts pluck at the heartstrings, particularly with Pryce's reminiscences of watching Goodnight Mr Chips, which led him to becoming a teacher. The film is a wonderful testament to the efforts of a women and the legions of helpers and children she inspired.

The accompanying documentary Save the Cinema: Behind the Curtain on SKY is a recommended watch, presented by two of Liz's real life sons, Mark and Wynne (of Go Compare infamy!)