Greatest Days

I didn't especially like the truly sterile stage musical and sadly I can't really exude about this either. It all centres around four ladies who win a competition to go and see a Take That reunion concert. The girls have become estranged over the years, but this prize offers them a chance to reunite. Initially it all goes fine - each has gone on to varying degrees of success and happiness in adult life - but after a few largely predictable escapades the fault lines soon start to appear and the inevitable tragedy from their past rears it's ugly head to contextualise their drifting apart and their present, somewhat strained, relationship. The songs themselves were never my favourite either - I always found Gary Barlow's voice to be a bit nasal and toneless - and here they are performed to some extremely precise (and not very natural) choreography by five lads who resemble the original band not a jot. Die hard fans will probably love this, and it does remind you of just how many hits this band had in their relatively short career - but for me, this film was all just a bit too formulaic with an ending that reminded me of the far superior ensemble effort that was Leslie Bricusse's "Scrooge" (1970).

I would never review a movie I've not watched all the way through but my gosh this is a car crash of epic proportions. The cliched dance routines, how cheap it looks, the simply horrendous decision to cast this rather odd looking collection of boys to represent Take That. During the first musical number, Pray, you'll probably burst out laughing when the boys appear out of kitchen cupboards in the midst of a shouting match between two parents. Could it be magic is more could it be tragic, set during a market with various stall holders singing the lines until the boys pop out from behind WH Smith's to join in. Yes the movie clearly wants to say something important our childhood friends and the lead actress has plenty of energy and screen presence but it's all been done better before. After 25 minutes I'd suffered enough.

I know most musicals are contrived and cheesy and provide broad stroke entertainment, and I enjoy a good jukebox musical where you are already familiar with the songs, but with the good ones you don't notice how cheesy they are because you're having such a good time. With Greatest Days I was always aware of it's contrivance as the thinly plotted and poorly scripted story is fabricated just enough to shoe horn in some favourite Take That songs from their back catalogue set to a backdrop of friendship, adolescence, tragedy and sexual awakening.

Based on the original stage musical The Band written by Tim Firth we follow a group of friends, going backwards and forwards in time from their teenage years in the early 90's to where they are now in their lives, who get together in Athens 25 years after their first concert to attend a reunion show. Aisling Bea is always watchable and does her best with the material and Marc Wootton provides some much needed comic relief but the casting of the 5 female friends never quite come together.

Feeling like a low budget Mamma Mia! (2008) it lacks exuberance, satisfactorily choreographed dance numbers and an overall feel good factor. The problem lay with the treatment of some of the songs. Many have been re-imagined and reworked, too much for my liking, as we get a hint of a song here, and a hint of a song there and it often falls short of giving us spectacularly executed dance routines to some of their most anthemic tunes. It does however finally pick up in the last 10 minutes or so, which is probably how the whole film should have been, but it's too little too late.

I don't mind a thinly plotted story if you can believe in it but I didn't really care enough about the characters or the plot line and the pseudo Take That members who keep springing up known as The Band (or The Boys as is often said in the movie) who exist in Aisling Bea's head are frankly a rather annoying plot device to get the songs crowbarred into the proceedings. You yearn for the real Take That to appear (and they do in a nice cameo as buskers on board a train) or to enjoy a song in it's entirety but sadly it takes about 90 minutes to really get going. The sentiment doesn't always land and neither does some of the wit or camaraderie between the friends that often feels a little forced rather than being naturally charming.

I thought at least half way in I'd be singing along, tapping my feet and having a great time but it just doesn't take off. Sadly it's a missed opportunity and it won't be the greatest day of your life watching this. Personally I enjoyed the earlier jukebox Take That musical Never Forget that was simpler in execution but much more engaging.

Greatest days is THE OFFICIAL!!! Take That musical as it says in bold at the top of the poster. It's official and yet they couldn't get the rights to use the bands official name in the film instead they are referred to as the boys (Amazon trying to use this film to sell a certain tv show maybe? ) . Whilst it maybe doesn't sound like the biggest deal in the world it does make the film feel in a word cheap and that's how I'd described this film in general if I had to sum it up in one word. Produced by Amazon studios greatest days tells the story of Rachel (Aisling Bea) who is 'the boys' biggest fan (self proclaimed). After winning a radio competition for her and four friends to see 'the boys' perform live in Athens on their reunion tour, she must now decide who to take with her. Que lengthy flashback to the 90's when conveniently 'the boys' were at the height of their fame and teenage Rachel and her 5 best friends (also massive fans of the boys) get the chance to see their favourite boys live for the first time. I'm sure you've already worked it out by now but the film is about re-kindling your teenage years, getting back together with old friends and re living the good times all alongside the music of 'the boys'.

The story itself is actually quite enjoyable however it is low budget and this means it misses that wow factor you get from the better jukebox movie musicals like my personal favourite Rocketman or Bohemian Rhapsody. There aren't any real stand out moments and while I've focused on the budget I think the other bigger and less talked about issue is, are Take That a big enough band with iconic enough songs that warrant a movie musical? This will of course depend on your personal musical preferences however I don't personally think so. Whilst I think most people would recognise a few of their songs they're simply nowhere near as big as Elton John or Queen and this adds to that lack of memorable moments. Overall the cast do a good job and they try and cram all your favourite 'the boys' tracks in at one moment or another all performed by some interesting interpretations of younger members of the band, I mean squint and maybe they're passable impressions.

It's watchable but there isn't enough here to keep you coming back for good.

Although not particularly Take That fans - I recognise they've got some great tunes. I also recognised that this was a low budget film and not likely in any way to scale the heights of day Mama Mia.

But it didn't shine on any level and certainly didn't have any magic. I was praying got it to end.

I really wanted to like it - but It's formulaic, derivative, predictable, poorly scripted and cringeworthy in parts. The main characters supply us with the obligatory one lesbian, one with weight issues, two mixed race, a crossdresser with beard - then kids with cancer.

The songs are great, there are some excellent dance scenes, lots,of the camp was enjoyable. The best bit by far was seeing Gary, Mark and Jason busking in a tube train - looking down at heel, very amusing. Well done them.

However it didn't relight my fire,