Reviews

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  ★★★½ review by robyn on Letterboxd

  the scenes on the dance floor are electric but its wrapped inside a fairly uninteresting plot and absolutely bursting with average men whilst any girls of the scene are pushed to the sidelines, which is surprising.

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  ★★★★ review by mick culleton on Letterboxd

  Northern soul was a underground music scene set around American soul music that swepted northern England in the 1970s, When a teen outcast who gets introduced to the northern soul scene when he meets another outcast, together they become friends and set out to become the top DJs on the underground scene , Top coming of age drama about love, loss and acceptance

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  ★★★★½ review by rosiesmith on Letterboxd

  I basically want every item of clothing Matt wore in this film, what a groovy film. Similar to the boat that rocked, but with more drugs.

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  ★★★★ review by Matty Stanfield on Letterboxd

  Elaine Constantine's tells a story of two British boys who build a friendship within the context of the Northern Soul that quickly took over England's youth in the early-mid 1970's. The movement would soon take a back seat to PUNK ROCK, but this was more than rebellion, fashion and rage -- this was about the music and dancing.

  While the plot is simple and a bit familiar, Constantine has secured a cast of brilliant new actors along with some very brief but strong support from the likes of Steve Coogan, Lisa Stansfield (yes, the great 80's singer!) & the great Ricky Tomlinson.

  Young British actors, Josh Whitehouse and Elliot James Langridge, are perfectly cast in their roles and aid the true stars of this film to take flight.

  The real stars here the sounds/groove of the 45rpm records that took the country's youth by storm -- but the most important player here is the giddy and infectious energy Ms. Constantine's amazing film projects on and bounces off the screen into the audience.

  No doubt Constantine has inspired her cast and crew. The importance of Simon Tindall's cinematography and Stephen Haren's film editing deserve a good deal of credit, but this is clearly Elaine Constantine's baby. And, she know how to rock it!

  She also has no fear in showing the darker corners of this subculture. Drug addiction tragedies are presented without glamour and a brutal realism. But this is not the film's point.

  It is an energetic and rebellious ride of a movie. A movie that should not be dismissed --- or missed.

  See it.

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  ★★★★ review by Panta Oz on Letterboxd

  Outstanding British historical film directed by Elaine Constantine, which needs to be talked about. She needed 15 years to have this film see the cinemas! A real labour of love for writer/director Elaine Constantine which was simply grounded by all the major funding bodies, key festivals and institutional production partners in the UK! How blind were those guys? At the end, the film was funded through a mix of private investors and Constantine's substantial personal investment. The bad treatment continued when the film was eventually picked up for distribution by Universal Pictures who sub-licensed the theatrical release to Munro Film Services. Sadly, the film got only a 3 day theatrical window but guess what happened... THIS WAS THE WIDEST SHORT-WINDOW RELEASE TO DATE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM! Initially expected to open on 6-14 screens nationally, the film opened on 89 screens on its opening night and they had to increase that number to 120 screens across its opening weekend. How many movies you know with 97/98% seat occupancy across 235 individual screenings? Of course, this was enough to push the film into the box office top 10 for its opening weekend. And i am glad that happened. Because this movie deserves all of it!

  The story of two young Lancashire teenagers, Matt and John, who's lives are changed forever by the discovery of American soul music and the dance culture that grew up around it in Britain was rough, warm, poetic, realistic and a real treat for the starved for quality movie goers. Josh Whitehouse as Matt, Elliot James Langridge as John Clark, Antonia Thomas as Angela, Steve Coogan as Mr. Banks and James Lance as Ray Henderson were so authentic characters that you had no chance to resist. Superb acting...

  If you are up for a movie which will catch all the energy of the time, at the dance hall, on the streets, in the mind, which just waited to burst into uncontrollable desire, please, check this one. Lovely touches of masterful director will make the pleasure complete.

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