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Hunky Dory

Release Date 02 Mar 2012 02 Aug 2012

  • User rating
  • Currently 2/5 Stars.
  • Critic rating
  • Currently 2/5 Stars.

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Certificate: 15

Genre: Drama

Welcome to Swansea, 1976 during the hottest summer on record, where rehearsals are taking place for a high-school Rock ‘n’ Roll version of Shakespeare’s The Tempest that David Bowie would be proud of. Hunky Dory is an unforgettable coming-of-age journey following a group of school friends in their last weeks before they are out in the real world. Don’t miss this home-grown, nostalgic, feel-good flick!

Cast:
Minnie Driver | Aneurin Barnard | Danielle Branch | George Mackay

Writers:
Laurence Coriat

Producers:

Directors:
Marc Evans

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  • Critic rating
  • Currently 2/5 Stars.

Movies.ie Critic Review

HUNKY DORY (UK/15A/109mins)

Directed by Marc Evans. Starring Minnie Driver, Haydn Gwynne, Bob Pugh, Owen Teale, Steve Spiers, Aneurin Barnard.

THE PLOT: It’s the long, hot summer of 1976, South Wales, and bohemian homecoming chick Miss Vivienne May (Driver) is back from London, to teach drama at the local comprehensive. Her decision to put on a rock opera version of The Tempest with her final year students has not gone down well with her more conservative colleagues, but Vivienne is determined to press ahead. When the headmaster (Pugh) warns of the need for boundaries, “lines that do not get crossed”, he’s soon given the recently-vacated role of Prospero – in the hope that he’ll keep the show on the road. As various kids in the production face issues of heart and home, Vivienne sees the production as an important outlet for self-expression and self-discovery.

THE VERDICT: Having just played the Dublin Film Festival, Marc Evans (My Little Eye) takes a leap from horror into quirky with mixed results. Having Ms. Driver in the lead role doesn’t help matters, the failed movie starlet muddying the bong-water somewhat and making Miss Vivienne instantly hard-to-like. Conceived before the High School Musical and Glee wave hit, there’s nonetheless a similar air of it’ll-be-alright-on-the-big-night here, as each tearful and troubled kid has all their worries solved just in time for the big musical finish. Met one or two critics who thought this was charming. But then, they had been buried deep in a film festival for days. So, as is so very often the case with festival moles, their opinion had been completely fried by too much bad coffee and stale air. RATING: 2/5

Review by Paul Byrne 

  • Avg User rating
  • Currently 2/5 Stars.

User Reviews

    • Currently 3/5 Stars.

    mart

    Warmly directed and engagingly written, this is a hugely enjoyable coming-of-age drama with a terrific central performance from Minnie Driver and stunning musical sequences performed by a talented cast of young unknowns

    • Currently 2/5 Stars.

    filmbuff2011

    Everyman director Marc Evans has had something of a curious career. He started out with TV productions, then progressed onto smart horror films like My Little Eye, human dramas like Snowcake and now sort-of musical Hunky Dory. Set in Swansea in 1976, it charts the lives of a group of teenagers and their inspirational teacher (of course), as they stage Shakespeare's The Tempest as filtered through the glam rock era of David Bowie. It's good to see Minnie Driver headlining a film again, as it's easy to forget what a good actress she is. She's the best aspect of this otherwise forgettable film that would be better suited to a Sunday night on BBC Two. Apparently based on a true story, there's a strong air of "so what?" about the film. There's nothing earth-shattering or significant to say in the film, relying more on a nostalgic glow to get by. Maybe if you grew up in South Wales in the 70s it might feel relevant, but for the rest of us it just feels more like a missed opportunity. Mr Holland's Opus is ain't.

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