Hunky Dory (2011) User Reviews

Minnie Stardust

[smallasianman · 6/10 · 4 March 2012]

I usually despise musicals. I cringe at the sight of teenagers wearing pasted-on smiles, belting out show tunes whilst mid-conversation with stern authority figures. Yet Marc Evans' Hunky Dory seeks to counter the contrivance of High School Musical and Glee, instead presenting us with a naturalistic drama that explores the lives of a dreamless bunch of kids in pre-Thatcher South Wales. Despite facing their last summer holiday before being destined for mediocrity, free-spirited drama teacher Vivienne May (Minnie Driver) wants her class to put on an end of year production of The Tempest "that William Shakespeare and David Bowie would be proud of" in order to give them some lasting hope of achievement.

The film follows the cast as they seek to produce a "Shakespearean concept rock opera", despite disapproval from conservative teachers, prejudiced rugby coaches and skinhead relatives. The youngsters' talents shine through, with the 1976 backdrop meaning ensemble performances of the likes of David Bowie, Nick Drake, ELO and The Beach Boys. There is a strong feel-good vibe to Hunky Dory, which dances between comedic musical and nostalgic drama with some success. Several character arcs map the cast's progression through the stereotypical hurdles of adolescent strife – but all's well by opening night, when the class perform relatively unscathed.

However, there is a great failing in Hunky Dory due to its poverty of originality. The setting and story borrow heavily from Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused and School of Rock, whilst the students' individual stories aren't given time to develop, and so seem to be pulled straight from Skins and Cemetery Junction. Perhaps Marc Evans bit off more than he could chew here. I imagine that Hunky Dory would play out quite well as a TV mini-series, and perhaps the predictable plot and two-dimensional characters may simply be a result of it being confined to 110 minutes. Nonetheless, the film is an easy watch, especially the final rendition of Life On Mars?, which is performed impeccably. Expect some warm chuckles in the hazy Welsh sunshine, but not riotous laughs. Hunky Dory won't ever have you on the edge of your seat, but its pleasant enough to keep you in it.

don't let the critics put you off

[Greigx3 · 7/10 · 8 March 2012]

People have complained that this film is too formulaic, it's too glossy and sugar-coated and that it's so steeped in saccharine sentimentality that it will make the overpriced, syrupy Coke that you bought from the multiplex foyer seem sour and flat.

While there is definitely truth in the above statement, I think enjoyment of this (and any) film depends on your attitude. If you go into this film expecting to see some gritty socio-political drama focussing on the oppression of Welsh mining classes, you will be sorely disappointed. You will come out complaining about how populist it is, how it's so conventionally structured and emotionally sensationalist etc, etc.

The poster is a lovely snapshot of a group of idyllic young friends having fun in the blistering summer of 1976. It's all orange and glowing. The trailer gives a taste of how packed the film is with poppy love songs of the era, how predictable the premise makes the plot, how familiar the angsty teenage characters are, how petty the conflicts seem in this hazy summer utopia of a bygone Britain and how indulgently reminiscent it is.

It's called Hunky Dory.

The signs are there - everything about the design screams out feel-good mainstream movie. It is unashamedly populist, unashamedly sensational and is obviously going to be as conventional as any piece of popular cinema. There's nothing subtle about the way the film advertises this sense of style.

To know all this, watch the film then criticize it for the glaringly obvious is lazy criticism, at best. Don't go and see the film if you know you're going to suffer an adverse reaction to the sheer amount of light-heartedness going on. That's like going into a screening of Shrek with your arms folded for the entire movie then coming out in a huff saying to your bemused/horrified children "the guy's an ogre but not once did I see a man's skin being peeled off while he was still alive."

For those more willing to accept this film for what it so blatantly is, I'd say it's an easy, feel-good film with and great 70's soundtrack (from the likes of Bowie and ELO) and superb Welsh accents throughout. A coming-of-age film set in a specific place and moment in British history, it shares an obvious affinity to Ricky Gervais and Stephen Mechant's Cemetery Junction as well as Billy Elliot (a couple of the producers made this film too).

There are a lot of characters so the attempt to squeeze in all of their individual stories is overly ambitious, but the cast are great. Minnie Driver is easily lovable and I get the feeling you'll be seeing a lot more of Aneurin Barnard's face in the future. The ending is a little bit vague and they try and remedy this by giving a 'where are they now' sequence during the end credits – which is a bit half-baked (no reference to the recreational activities of the time intended).

Overall, a likable film with some nice messages (namely Karl Marx's sentiment "don't let the b*st*rds grind you down") and a well-polished style that makes for easy watching.

http://ionlyaskedwhatyouthought.blogspot.com/

Believable

[betty-623-412288 · 7/10 · 28 October 2014]

Set in the 70s in South Wales, this film/musical doesn't disappoint. Not only is there a spectacularly eerie arrangement of music but the characters stories are relatable. The problems these teenagers face range from Homosexuality to peer pressure to family tension. What makes it more interesting (though it's a simple idea) is that it's a musical about making a musical. This gives the excuse for the atmospheric soundtrack, sung by the cast themselves. Completely different to any other musical I have seen. The only thing I didn't like were the predictions of the characters lives at the end of the film. This seemed like a desperate attempt to make the film more believable when it already was quite so. Although, I am willing to overlook this as the film is such a good one.

shockingly historically inaccurate but a good film

[dostoevsky75 · 7/10 · 17 July 2012]

shockingly ignorant of teenage pop culture, one of the students is asked for the name of a favourite band and mentions the ramones, the ramones would never have been known in the uk until the punk rock explosion came along following the sex pistols success which didn't kick in til 1977 so there is no way the ramones, a new york punk band would have been a consideration in south wales in summer 1976. also one of the main characters is dressed almost totally identical near the end of the film to adam ants pirate image which did not come along until the start of the eighties, a good film but so very historically inaccurate. somebody needs to scratch up on their knowledge of rock and pop culture.

Flawed but yet still likable.

[asorednop · 7/10 · 30 December 2014]

I can't disagree with much of the criticism here. There are too many story arcs and few are given enough screen time (one, about questioning one's sexuality seemed to be over in less than 60 seconds in entirety, and without any resolution that particularly adds anything). I'm just about old enough to remember the summer of 1976 and the film didn't feel historically accurate, either. Rather than reminisce, I had to keep reminding myself it wasn't set in the modern day.

However, there were good things. The acting and singing, both from Minnie Driver and her charges, is good throughout. Aneurin Barnard and Danielle Branch stand out as the erstwhile couple who are acrimoniously failing to maintain a working relationship as leads in school's production of The Tempest. Both have a brooding intensity and use their eyes to great effect. For me, the standout moment was during the final production, singing "Life On Mars?" as a duet; him, looking away, still unable to meet her eyes even once, and her, the polar opposite, never wavering in her direct and angry gaze, spitting the words at him. In the penultimate moments of the song, her expression changes entirely from anger to loss, perhaps finally realising that nothing can be salvaged between them. And then, the final scene, she is still staring intently at him, but she is looking upon him almost as a stranger now, as ex-lovers invariably become. It's very well acted, demonstrating these sudden realisations only with her eyes and having them mirrored with an acceptance or at least acknowledgement of defeat in his eyes too.

I wasn't expecting to like it, but I did. If you follow the advice given to Minnie Driver's character in the film about keeping your expectations low and don't approach this film as high art, you may find yourself enjoying it. If nothing else, the music is really very good indeed.

Okay plot, Decent film, good cast.

[shppy180 · 6/10 · 31 August 2013]

A half decent film in terms of plot and a good film in terms of acting. The only thing that annoyed me slightly with the acting was Kristian Gwilliam who I thought was awful. Interesting to see how many actors from this film have now gone on to appear in Stella, I think that shows how well the cast worked as a unit.

The pace did feel a little off at times where you get a sudden change of direction before reverting to the original pace of the film almost as if a scene had been cut out.

I would have liked to have seen a bit more of some of the characters back stories in the first half of the film and I think the film should have been made a bit longer to accommodate that. The character of Lewis in particular who was well played by Adam Byard seemed to feature a lot more prominently in the second half of the film compared to the first. I also thought that some of the cast were a bit under used with Di Botcher particularly taking a very minor role and given her past experience in Twin Town and that she has since gone on to be in Stella I was surprised to see her in such a minor role. Overall a decent film which im giving 6 out of 10 which isn't a bad rating off me considering I don't usually go for musicals.

Space Oddity

[josh-thawley · 5/10 · 4 November 2011]

Set in 1976 Swansea, "Hunky Dory" follows charismatic drama teacher Viv (Minnie Driver) as she attempts to stage a rock-opera version of Shakespeare's "The Tempest", set on Mars. Predictably, the play serves as a catalyst to examine and solve some of the students' problems, such as broken families and burgeoning homosexuality, and as a point of confrontation between liberal Viv and other sterner and more classically minded teachers.

What the "Freedom Writers", cum "Glee", cum "School of Rock" plot lacks in originality is more than made up for by the stellar ensemble cast. Driver provides a strong, believable lead performance, supported by the frankly superb rising star Aneurin Barnard, as troubled student Davey, and backed by a surprisingly good cast of relatively unknown young actors.

Without a doubt, the best thing about "Hunky Dory" is the great soundtrack, which is performed entirely by the talented, young cast. The film features a staggering selection of classic 1970s rock artists, such as Pink Floyd, The Who, The Beach Boys, with an emphasis on David Bowie, whose album the film takes its title from.

Overall, "Hunky Dory" is a film that would appeal to the younger "Glee-generation", had it not been awkwardly clashing with a classic rock soundtrack, and a more adult storyline. Nonetheless, it is an entertaining, if schmaltzy and clichéd, film.

This movie is excellent!

[elizabethaloe · 10/10 · 7 May 2013]

Let me start by saying I'm NOT a fan of musicals or Glee. As a matter of fact, I can't stand them unless its a musical with good music like Rock of Ages or Mamma Mia. Anyhow, this movie blew me away. I haven't been this captivated by music in a movie and the characters in so long. I loved Minnie Driver's performance and her voice is amazing. She sings a rendition of Going Back by Carol King that is just beautiful. The kids are so talented, too. I see big things for Aneurin Barnard. I really recommend this film if you like those British indies like The Full Monty, Billy Elliot, and Brassed Off, I also recommend it if you are a fan of David Bowie, ELO, The Beach Boys, the Byrds and Nick Drake. The soundtrack is excellent and I listen to it a lot. I don't review movies all that often, but this one was so worth it to me. I'm surprised at some the meh reviews because its way better than that.

But the film is a saddening bore...

[phiggins · 27 October 2011]

As a huge fan of Minnie Driver, I will happily admit to an inclination to watch any film in which she appears. Hell, I even saw that Disney Tarzan movie in which she wasn't even on the screen. So, call me biased. But not even I, a card-carrying member of the MD club, could bring myself to say anything in support of her latest venture, a Wales-set nostalgia-fest entitled Hunky Dory. La Driver plays a teacher. But not just any teacher, of course. Oh, no. MD plays a wacky, slightly f**ked-up teacher whom all her kids adore and who wants to get the kids to put on a big end-of-term show. What show? The Tempest. But not just any Tempest. Oh, no. This will be a Tempest the likes of which you have never seen, and will never want to see, ever again, for as long as you live. Yes, it's The Tempest, but with the songs of David Bowie, and others, performed by the kids, all of whom are either excellent singers or excellent musicians, or both. Which is handy. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the plot. The kids have some issues which get in the way: one might be an arsonist, one is a bit mental, one is, surprise, gay, and one doesn't fancy someone, but fancies someone else instead – crazy! Not all of the teachers approve of Driver and her zany plans. Boo! Hiss! But Driver being Driver, she perseveres, or, rather, the plot just trundles on, avoiding any genuine conflict, any genuine character development, any genuine engagement, anything genuine at all. Every five minutes or so there is a musical number featuring the aforementioned eerily note-perfect singers, accompanied by other kids hitting milk bottles or blowing into recorders. Then one of the kids will have a strop, tell the headmaster to f**k off, storm out, and – oh, no – raise very real doubts that the show will go on. But, of course, the show will go on, even if someone burns down the school hall. Who burned it down? Doesn't matter (and we never find out) because the show can be put on in someone's garden instead! Hurrah! Hurrah for Miss Minnie and her wonderful pupils! Just when you think it can't possibly get any worse, the finale introduces, from nowhere (spoiler warning) some... I can hardly bring myself to say it... some... oh, dear God, make it stop... some shadow puppets. Shadow puppets. Where did they come from? No, really, where? And who made them? And when did anyone get any time to practise with them? And then, as the end is finally in sight, and you get over your paralysing envy of the two people who were brave enough to walk out an hour earlier, the makers of this narcissistic, self-indulgent, dramatically fake, vacuous, inept, embarrassing bore pull off their greatest trick. You know how at the end of some films they have little on-screen summaries of where the characters are now? Fred works in a chip shop in Chippenham, and it's ironic cos all the way through the film he was always eating chips! You get the idea. They do that here, and it's indefensible and crass, for so many reasons. 1. We hardly know these characters at all, and certainly don't care about them, at all, so this little précis of their later lives is totally irrelevant. 2. Using the Falklands war to try and add a little gravitas to such a trivial and gravitas-free film is offensive and opportunistic. 3. You're just prolonging the agony – roll the credits, make it stop, let us out of here.

I have seen many, many films in my time (far too many, probably) but never before have I been so tempted to walk out. This temptation began within the first five minutes, when I realised, with grim certainty, that here was one of those films where they compiled the soundtrack first and made the film around it. Photogenic kids singing Bowie, Drake and EL-effing-O. Minnie. The 1976 drought. Hey, this thing practically writes itself. No, it doesn't. It's a nightmare. Two hours and seven quid I will never get back.

Important Historical Moment Experienced Through Soundtrack, Some Inclusion Questions

[rmarb5-1 · 7/10 · 15 November 2017]

Very astute of the submitter in the Character section of the Goofs to remind us that ELO's "Livin' Thing" was not known until later in 1976 as it was released in November along with parent album "A New World Record". "Hunky Dory" is a creature of the late spring of that year.

Nonetheless, the choice of music in this movie, as a remark, is simply outstanding. It finely captures that moment when the singer songwriter sound of the early 70s was giving way to late glam and early new wave sensibilities (a la Ferry, Bowie, Lee, Drake, Lynne). In fact, a book has been written ("Hollywood Film 1963-1976: Years of Revolution and Reaction") that pinpoints 1976 as the pivot year when the cultural reign of the 60s and early 70s ended.

As a disclaimer, I don't know what music was being played on the BBC in pre-Thatcher Wales; would she actually have been seen on BBC nightly television in 1976, three years ahead of her ascendancy, as she does in the film? But I do wonder about other culturally significant music of 1976 that might have been overlooked.

As a leading example, the advent of Queen's "A Night of the Opera," generally acclaimed the Sgt. Peppers of the 70s, plops squarely in May of 1976 when "You're My Best Friend" was picking up steam as the followup single to enormous "Bohemian Rhapsody," and the Elizabethan "39" was starting to haunt the airwaves. Irish heavy rockers Thin Lizzy sprang from regional jail at that moment and John Miles, whose title cut,"Stranger in the City," was a great, if passing, anthem to weary youth in Britain, peaking around April 1976.

Genesis' "Trick of the Tale" was a breakout commercial LP from 1976, loaded with snappy art-rock tracks, bespeaking a sense of melancholy associated with life change in English youth, though this might have been more suited to highbrow Charterhouse and Ellesmere, the latter featured as bedrock in 1978's Richard Burton vehicle, "Absolution".

The Rolling Stones released "Black and Blue" in April 1976 carrying a couple of textured, sentimental songs in single "Fool to Cry" and sadly reflective "Memory Motel," both all over the radio then. Too American sounding?

In the obverse, I question whether Ontario's Rush had really arrived in Wales at that point to the extent that the schoolboys could play, chord for chord, with no charts, a good bit of "Passage to Bangkok" on the brand new "2112" album. If you need a guitar-heavy AOR entry, why not England's Foghat? "Fool for the City" was sitting right there on album playlists in May of 1976.

Finally, 1976, of course, was the year of Peter Frampton, I am imagining the brilliant live versions of "I Wanna Go to the Sun" or "All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)" as fitting period citations of prep yearning for flight. I won't mention anything about "Born to Run," the sensation of that stateside season, released several months prior to May of 76, as Middle Atlantic bravado would not sync with "Hunky Dory's" more woozy, Welsh bard effect. Nor would a recent UK platinum smash by The Three Degrees and its spawning movement, (gasp) disco, whose 1975 afterbirth, populated the times.

As a PostScript, I loved the choices of both "Strange Magic" and "One Summer's Dream," both underrated ELO dreamers. I can't help wanting more ELO from the period (understanding there is only room for two in this multi-artist effort) as their current "Face the Music" sported heady standards like "Nightrider" and "Waterfall"; and if we look back just several months earlier, the "El Dorado" album's ultimate orchestral Beatles paean, "Can't Get it Out of My Head".

We have only one film here, and "Hunky Dory" made its choices. My curiosity aside, they are fine decisions.

Clunky Dory

[sloan1874-296-337 · 3/10 · 18 February 2012]

Just back from watching this film at the Glasgow Film Festival, and still seething at losing 1hr 50mins to it. So generic as you'd imagine that it had come to the director kit-built, it's assembly of characters go through the paces of yer bog standard 'coming of age' drama in a tick-box way that makes your heart sink. To be honest, I could rattle on about its many problems - not least the fact all the cast have hair cuts and vocal styles that seem to be more 2009 than 1976; that the school production appeared to have an unlimited budget, or that they seemed to have Dexy's Midnight Runners' brass section on board. Above all, though, it's unforgivably boring.

A Realistic Glee Club

[ishtapaz · 9/10 · 5 January 2016]

I actually do not like Glee. It's just impossible for any high school to achieve that sound. But this one is indeed believable and it involved everyone, the band not just the divas. Of course I am in love with Minnie Driver. What a unique face but man she can sing. I knew she sang and played guitar. She definitely carried the movie but the supporting cast specially the teenage actors.

The drama is definitely thick but again not over the top and again believable.

The music selection is also refreshing. I know this review is not so cerebral but sometime it does not have to be. In terms of filmography. I love the Fuji Velvia look of the 70's.

Putting on the show

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 19 October 2015]

This is another slew of dramas or comedies which we have had in the last few years set in the 1970s. Maybe the writers and directors have hit 40 and getting nostalgic about their youth.

Set in the summer of 1976 where Britain had a hot summer leading to a drought, Vivienne May (Minnie Driver) a teacher in South Wales, a free spirit wants to put an end of year production of The Tempest with rock songs. Its all so Jesus Christ Superstar.

The kids leaving school face an uncertain future, many of them are going to go into mediocre jobs. At least Viv has the support of the headmaster as some of the more conservative teachers disapprove of her plans. They only see kids as fit for factory work or going down the mines.

There is nothing really original in Hunky Dory although the songs blend in well with the musical particularly the ELO numbers.

Its a coming of age tale as some of the kids are dealing with their sexuality, machismo, girlfriend/boyfriend trouble and in one case hanging around with skinheads.

It all leads up with the production of the musical in the opening night and all the turmoil associated with it.

Its a small scale feel-good musical, nice but I felt the tone was all over the place ranging from comedy to drama and back again. Apparently the final credits indicates that this might be based on true events.

In retrospect having been around at that time, in some sense these kids never had it so good, at least they had some sort of job to go to after leaving school. Just wait until 1979 when Mrs Thatcher enters Downing Street and closes a lot of the factories down.

Poor Combination of Glee and Across the Universe with too many characters.

[TheCineSinge · 4/10 · 9 March 2012]

Hunky Dory tries to emulate what has already come before it in terms of musicals; Glee and Across the Universe, neither of which I have to say I'm a fan of but I'm willing to give anything a chance so I decided to see Hunky Dory.

The generic coming-of-age plots are held together by the show the kids are performing in with Minnie Driver at the helm but that's the problem; there are simply too many characters. In fact, there are a dozen and it's just too much to try and take in. No criticism towards the actors but 12 different characters to follow just gets confusing and bogged down. Now, 3 or 4 main story lines I think would have worked perfectly but we aren't given the chance to engage with any of the characters as their stories are jotted all over the film and it's hard to remember who's doing what, who's going where and frankly, it's just hard to care.

The musical numbers, as enjoyable and respectfully done as they are, sometimes seem just to be thrown in for the sheer hell of it. It suffers from 'Across the Universe syndrome' in that, the songs they perform happen to tie in with exactly what the characters are feeling and going through. Now that might work for some people but I'm not a big fan. It's just too corny. I did find myself getting quite into some of the songs however, the covers are good, as is the soundtrack. I just love Bowie in honesty!

I'm not a fan of the film, obviously, but I will say it's good for it's music and soundtrack. That isn't enough reason to go and see it however and I would say it could definitely be given a miss.

Love it!

[ladybug2535 · 9/10 · 22 March 2017]

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The storyline and the music brought back fine memories (I was almost the same age in the same time period--and oh how the music took me back). In this the script was VERY successful in conjuring a specific time and place.

Although I was in the United States rather than Wales, I would have to say our general teen experiences of the times were pretty similar on both sides of the Atlantic. We certainly experienced that same raging uncertainty of being a teen of any time period, but ours was greatly amped up by the extraordinary social upheaval of the 60s and 70s, which could only serve to exacerbate the general fear of what comes next in anyone's teens. This anxiety would be even more potent in a region with rampant unemployment and open class warfare (not to mention the ongoing clash in Ireland of the time).

The excellent use of music in this film brought out qualities in the songs that were lost when streamed out on the radio waves among the popular playlist of the day, and certainly threw them into a new light, with nuances I'd never before considered. Very effective and in some places, positively poignant. I thought the choices of music were excellent; so much so that I could have easily enjoyed much more of it and more of the film in turn, just on that alone.

To be truthful, the movie really could have used another half hour or more, just to flesh out the more important characters. There were some interesting people here, but the length of the film gave them-- and in truth the storyline, short shrift. While that could have been addressed by reducing the number of main characters or focusing less on the more extraneous of the story lines, I don't know if I would have in fact enjoyed the film more by doing so. I would have like more of everything to be truthful; more exploration of the characters and their relationships that we were exposed to; more of the film's interpretation of the music put through the lens of of hindsight; and more development and rehearsals of their play--when juxtaposed and compared with the daily lives of the film.

Certainly not everyone will agree with me, but it was a terrific little film--and I'd like to see more of it. Just more. Not the Hollywood treatment, no, that would alter it's character too much I fear, but just more of what we were given all too briefly. Yes I admit, I may be biased by my own familiarity and nostalgia of the times, but I am not going to apologize for that. I simply Loved it. Loved it. Loved it.

Oh for.... they wouldn't allow me to capitalize that I "love it". L.O.V.E.D. I.T. I don't understand how anyone can consider this shouting for god's sakes, it's only a voice in your own head powered by your own imagination. No one is shouting! If anything that exclamation point conveys shouting more than capitalizing an entire word. Capitalizing only emphasizes the word or words. Emphasis, not shouting. I would italicize it but that doesn't W.O.R.K. on IMDb's website. If you italicize or even bold letter a word it just comes out with ampersands and all kinds of mixed symbols--but no italics or bold letters. If they fixed that then I wouldn't be tempted to S.H.O.U.T.! Moderators? Do you read these?????

By the numbers.

[johnbalance · 5/10 · 4 September 2017]

Anyone who was around in the 70's and think this will provide an accurate nostalgia trip will be disappointed. The hairstyles, at least those of the male actors, are far too modern looking for 1976. The Incredible Hulk TV show is referenced two years before it aired (at least we can safely assume it's the TV show, it's highly unlikely the scriptwriters had the Marvel Comic in mind). More lazy 70's pop culture tropes follow. As someone else pointed out almost no one in the UK would have heard of The Ramones at this stage outside of a tiny London punk clique.Characters are too thinly sketched. One main female characters romance with a DJ she spots at a Northern Soul venue seems like an afterthought. The ending is laughable with a fictional montage of "what they did next" character biographies that try to add meat to the sketchy ensemble

Little Hidden Gem

[carl_bengtsson · 9/10 · 15 January 2020]

I defy anyone who grew up in the 70's, especially those who remember the long hot summer of 76, not to love this film. Maybe its just me but it seems to capture perfectly the mood and music of the time. Minnie Driver is superb (and gorgeous, and Welsh) as the drama teacher of a typical 70's comprehensive struggling to direct the end of term school performance, a musical version of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'. It is a beautiful, gentle film with great performances, great characters and great music. I recommend watching late night with a few beers.

What the heck is up with many screenwriters?

[plutus1947 · 3/10 · 31 March 2014]

Is it not possible for many screenwriters to put together a script without having to resort to totally unnecessary expletives and are they capable of stringing a sentence together when speaking without using it? Time and time again I have to endure a movie with foul language being used in virtually every other word. The vast majority of these movies end up with a 15 certificate because of it but if the script was written without this it could be released as a PG or even a 'U' and therefore available to a much wider audience.

The movie could be seen by a much wider audience and the lack of expletives would enhance the movie no end.

Hunky Dory is one such movie the foul language used was totally unnecessary and completely spoilt a potentially truly enjoyable experience.

SPOILER BEGINS

Vivienne Mae (Minnie Driver) is a drama teacher who wants her students to perform a musical version of Shakespeare's The Tempest but the students are totally apathetic and she has her work cut out to get them enthusiastic.

SPOILER ENDS

This had the makings of a very entertaining movie spoilt only by the constant use of expletives. Even Vivienne, the teacher used it in front of her students, but the students were no better.

I know one thing, if my teachers used this language in front of their students they would soon be out of a job.

I have given this movie a '3' rating simply because of the totally uncalled for and constant foul language but if that was absent I can see me awarding it a '7' or '8'.

I must admit that there are possibly 100s of movies which have been given 15 certificates because of the bad language but could and would have been wonderful all round entertainment, even for young children had the script not contained expletives.

It's more like hunky dumb!

[jordondave-28085 · 3/10 · 20 April 2023]

(2013) Hunky Dory MUSICAL DRAMA

Takes place sometime during the late 1970's focusing on a choir/play group with Minnie Driver as Vivienne Mae attempting to conduct and organize a musical play of Shakespear's the Tempest. Watching this is like watching the UK equivalent of "Glee" with the only difference is that it's based on actual characters viewers don't even get to know what they really look like after the closing credits. Some of the issues regards, support from fellow teaching staff members, a brother who has an older skin head brother, hitting puberty, as well as some gay themes. I don't care.