Queen & Country

Hope and Glory was delicious, sweet, sad and charming. This sequel, well, seems like a sequel in name only.

Some characters from the previous movie show up, but only in very, very minor and brief, non consequential roles.

The main story is a little boring and uneventful, like a bland episode of MASH. Pity, I really wanted to like this movie. There just isn't a lot of meat on the table.

Tasmin Egarton was GORGEOUS as was Vanessa Kirby. Callum Turner and Caleb Landry Jones did a very good job with what they had, there just wasn't much of a story.

The movie didn't just end as much as run out of script... I was actually surprised when the end credits appeared.

Sad. I wanted more.

This is a semi autobiographical sequel to Hope & Glory from writer/director John Boorman, dealing with his National Service years of the early 1950s.

Boorman like many others of his generation does not have any warm nostalgic memories of National Service. I always noticed it is only some right wing politicians and police chiefs that want to see National Service return. A supposed lazy fix to soaring crime rates, ignoring the fact the violent crime increased after World War 2 because of all those ex soldiers who had military training and use of firearms.

Bill Rohan the small 9 year old boy from Hope & Glory is now 18 years old and is doing his National Service. He is hoping to avoid seeing combat in Korea. Bill strikes up a friendship with the amoral Percy. Together they look to go out with girls and trying to survive two years of National Service.

Bill and Percy land on their feet teaching new recruits how to type. The fly in the ointment is by the book Sergeant Major Bradley, who is making everyone's life a misery looking for petty breach of the rulebook

Bill also strikes a relationship with a trouble attractive lady, Ophelia, however trouble arises over a missing clock that tests the friendship between Bill and Percy.

I have seen this film before. It was called Biloxi Blues, Neil Simon's semi autobiographical account of his time in basic training during the second world war. The movie has very little that was new here. Caleb Landry Jones has a mixed up English accent. David Heyman who reprises his role from Hope & Glory has been given a dreadful wig.

The problem is it lacks playfulness and fun coming across as anecdotal.

Not knowing Hope and Glory, I saw this fim as correct and pleasant chain of british humor, some crumbs of Catch 22, gentle romance and maturisation, eulogy of friendship and eccentricity and nice portrait of a period.

Not impressive, it is a seductive define of the events defining the life in army of Bil Rohan, his first ove, his absolutey special friend, a cock and Robert E. Grant in a admirabe form.

And, for many motives, it is enough for offer a good enterntainment, few touching moments and image of freedom in profound sense.

And, sure, consequences of the terribilism of youth.

So, pleasant works as fair definition about this profound nice film.

Absolutely loved this film! Was really funny too. There was some serious scenes but also a bit if humour here and there. Great acting from all cast. Must watch.

Oh Dear, this is a stinker! Only 2 couples in at the Curzon, Victoria last night. The rest of the world must have known something we didn't. The other couple lasted 30 minutes.......we gave it another 15 or so before deciding it was beyond redemption and that we had better things to do with the next hour. We presume it ran on to an empty house. Dreadful, clunky script and dialogue, cut-out cartoon characters playing simple stereotype roles, wooden, stilted acting, very weird accents (Caleb Landry Jones apparently occupying a class and region of his own devising). Sometimes I thought we had stumbled into an episode of Porridge or maybe Dad's Army. Caleb seemed to be channeling Oliver Reed at his overacting worst, combined with Norman Wisdom or maybe Lee Evans. Sorry, but this was shameful and shouldn't have been allowed to escape onto the screen. Was this a case of Emperor's New Clothes? Was no one prepared to stand up to Boorman at any stage and say "enough"? Was this posted in as a contractual obligation? Yes, I respect the career, but this was a sad sign off and not worthy. This is one that the cast, pretty much without exception, will wish they could deny being involved with and will look at from behind their hands when its inevitable Christmas TV showing comes round in a year or 2. 1 star if I'm generous.