This film is extremely well made and will appeal to anyone who likes an interesting documentary. You do not have to be a Queen's Park Rangers fan, or even a football fan for that matter, to find the film fascinating. This is due to the characters involved, some of their actions plus the storyline and the way the film has been skillfully created. It's all the better for the fact that there is no narration whatsoever - the film tells it's own story.
The Four Year Plan was shot by the Ad Hoc Films team over the period of 2007 to 2011. It vividly depicts the emotional roller-coaster ride that this period was for QPR fans. Flavio Briatore who, together with his F1 colleague Bernie Ecclestone, became a joint owner of the club in August 2007 comes over as someone who is completely clueless about football and who has to rely on fellow Italian Gianni Paladini, a former players agent who bought a share of QPR in 2003, to provide advice and guidance. Ironically "The Four Year Plan" was what the new owners claimed they had to get the club promoted back to the Premiership for the first time since 1996. Incredibly this goal was achieved in May 2011, but the film gives the distinct impression that this was in spite of the involvement of Briatore and Ecclestone, not because of them or because any real plan as such actually existed. One fan in fact refers to "The Four Minute Plan" at one stage!
The infamous QPR managerial merry go round from 2008 to 2010, where there was seemingly a different incumbent in the managers chair every few weeks, is depicted for all of its infamy. Each manager is usually described at some stage in the film as "that idiot" by Flavio Briatore but with his comments often made in Italian and with the film's sub titles revealing what is being said, often within the earshot of the person. What of course never occurs to the two main club owners is that these "idiots" were in fact their appointments.
The DVD extras consist of 12 interesting deleted scenes (over 900 hours of film was recorded). In a shirt design decision meeting in 2009 Flavio Braitore rejects a shirt design with red piping and goes for silver instead. Needless to say the red looks better, and you can tell the Lotto shirt manufacturer representative thinks so too, but she goes along with what the boss says.....
Another extra is footage of the club's Manchester United Carling Cup away game in October 2008 with Gareth Ainsworth, the QPR assistant manager, pumping the players up saying "you can be playing here in the league". At the time many people would have thought that highly unlikely but, less than 4 years later in April 2012, that is indeed what will happen.
In years to come I think QPR fans will look back and be pleased that the film was made as it really does capture a period in the clubs history that would be tough to describe without an excellent film to depict all of the events. In the meantime fans of other clubs will view the film and inevitably think "what a total mad house", but at the same time enjoy the film for the well made documentary that it is.
Unmissable
