What this film lacks in script or plot is more than made up for with great shots of Port Issac and the Cornish Coast that will have you aching to return. Truly a sweet film that doesn’t become saccharine because it is peppered with ‘in jokes’ that will have both locals and visitors laughing out loud alongside the fantastic singing of The Fisherman’s Friends.
Based on the story of the troupe of friends that were initially discovered byRadio 2 DJ Johnny Walker on his holiday in Cornwall. His manager Ian Brown also became interested and they were signed with a £1 million deal with Universal music. Top Ten Albums, tours and concerts at the Royal Albert Hall haven’t changed the ethos of friendship and the love of music and you will still find the men singing on the slip in Port Issac throughout the summer.
The film plays with the story up until the signing of their deal and doesn’t touch on the tragic death of the member Trevor Grills, and the band’s promoter, Paul McMullen. Instead of Johnny Walker, it is wide-boy, cockney manager Danny, played by Daniel Mays, that lands the deal for the band while falling in love with Cornwall and local girl Alwyn (Tuppence Middleton) despite the required obstacles along the way.
This is a British feel-good movie in the vein of The Full Monty, Brassed Off and Blue Juice – pure light entertainment. The true stars of the show are the Cornish coastline and the magnificent singing and we think it’s the perfect prescription for those suffering from home sickness for Cornwall.
