‘Commitments’ delivers soulful fun
Andrew Strong (left) ploys Deco and Robert Arluns plays Jimmy in
The Commitments
* * *
FILM Th* Commnmtits r* cufT»r*ty
stowing at Onama Work! Rat*d R
* 4un I tM*0-m • • •*>« l« '«rH.
• * • »«#»' •*** • * • • •
liarly on in lfto
Commitments, one
of tile voting. work
ing class Dubliners
asks if perhaps the
group is luring |ire
sumptuous by play
ing soul music. After
all. they aren’t black. Hut the
loruier. Jimmy Kalibilto insists
ihuv an> the bloc ks of Ireland
They're young, blue collar and
scorned by the community. Per
haps Jimmy echoes the senti
ments of the film's director, Alan
Parker.
In The (UtnuniimnnUi, Parker
does something he doesn't usual
ly do. He lakes n potentially
dreary story and turns It Into a
soulful, funny and spirited romp
What's most likable alxa.t the
film is the raw talent and excite
men! that the almost entirely in
experienced (-tst brings to their
roles As when Jimmy puls an ad
in the local paper to n» ruit Kind
members, Parker also put an ad
■ —I
BUY IT BEFORE YOU
SEE THEM TONIGHT!!
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BEST GROUP OUT
OF ATHENS, GA
FOR A LONG TIME
COME IN AND ASK
TO HEAR IT!
AVAILABLE AT
SEE THEM TONIGHT
AT LANE COUNTY
FAIRGROUNDS
OCT. 4
9:00 pm
DON'T MISS THEM
OPES SEVEN DAYS A WEEK
in a Dublin newspaper to get
musicians and actors to audition
for the flint.
Till! cast is young, ambitious,
talented and funny 'lint mistake
that is made is in concentrating
too much on relationships that
remain undefined
Then' an; some interesting
characters Joey "The Lips” La
gan, the only adult member of
the band, claims to have played
trumpet with some of the legends
of blues and soul. Jimmy’s father
worships Elvis and provides
some great moments. The King's
picture on the family's wall is
smaller titan the Pope's, but
hangs above the pontiff.
Despite several original charac
ters, it's a mistake to try and do a
complete study of each one. As is
often the aiso with a Parker film,
ho tries to condense a world of
information in efficient little
scenes.
Ignoring that flaw, there is
quite a bit of screen time devoted
to what is mally worth watching:
talented musicians working
through the not-so-wonderful
years by playing raucous, angry
and danceable music.
Parker keeps things moving
and the lead singer, the amazing
17-vear-old Andrew Strong, has
immense stage presence and is a
worthy voice to sing these great
songs.
There's great energy and
sounds throughout the film, but
it might have lteen even better it
it were simply played as a con
cert movie, devoting all the time
to music instead of the charac
ters. which in this film come oil
as underdeveloped and disap
pointingly thin. Still, there's so
much love for soul in Tho (kmi
mitinonls that it inevitably wears
off on tho audience.
By By Lucas J Gutman
Emerald Contributor
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