Review of Commitments, The

Introduction

A mate came round one day with a DVD for us to watch (think it was Ice Age), and he brought with him another one, placing it in my hands before saying "The soundtrack to this is great...so I got the film". OK, I thought, I`d give this a shot. Weeks later, it lay atop a pile of Xbox games, forgotten. So, I pulled out the disc a couple of nights ago, and settled down to watch it, with low to medium expectations.

The Commitments is the story of Jimmy Rabbitte, who wants to bring soul music to Dublin. His friends Derek and Outspan ask him to manage their band and Jimmy agrees, but only on his terms. He places an ad in the local paper which simply reads: "Have you got Soul? If so, the world`s hardest working band is looking for you", and from then on he is plunged into a world of gigs and the discovery that anyone can rise from the backstreets.

Think Rocky without the gloves...

Video

It is presented in 4:3 Fullscreen, and as one would expect, the clarity levels aren`t as sharp as they would be in an anamorphic widescreen transfer. So, the print isn`t as definite as it could be, but for what we get, it does suffice - although in certain areas dust is visible.

Alan Parker, of Anegla`s Ashes and Evita fame, directs, and by casting complete unknowns he has actually made this even more believable - the actors give it their all and they bring their own characters to the roles, and because they haven`t been `broken in`, they seem more human in themselves, plus their musical talents are most probably better than today`s crop of A-listers!

Audio

A DD 2.0 track is on offer, and yes, we aren`t given a full surround sound remix, damn it. Whilst the dialogue is good, the music really cries out for a full mix.

The script is good, chronicling a believable story with interesting and amusing moments. However, the characters need to be much more developed than they are, but this is the only main criticism levelled at the script (which was adapted from the book by Roddy Doyle...no doubt in the book the characters are given a much more detailed background and modus operandi).

The music in the film, like my friend claimed, is very good and is the kind you can tap your foot to and listen to again. Fun, easy on the ear, and genuinely good.

Features

This is evidently a low budget production, yet we still get some extras. Emphasis on `some`...

Things kick off with a PR fluff featurette - really an extended trailer with some soundbytes from Alan Parker. It lasts for all of 5 minutes, and doesn`t shed much light, if any, on the production.

The next extra is a music video of "Treat Her Right" which features in the film, and it is good, if a little repetitive!

There is also a soundtrack sampler: four tracks from the full CD that play in the background. A nice touch, and good advertising for the full soundtrack.

To cap things off, there is a theatrical trailer, which seems to take pride in the fact that Parker is behind the camera.

The menus are static but nice and easy to navigate.

Conclusion

My expectations weren`t great for this, but I have to admit I enjoyed this. The music is the frontrunner, and thankfully it is an accomplished frontrunner. But, the rest of the film clicks into place, and although flaws are evident (mostly lack of development), it is worth a watch.

The disc is average - the presentation is distinctively average, presumbably due to a low budget, and the extras even worse.

However, for all the mild discrepencies, The Commitments is worth a rent if you are bored of Hollywood mainstream titles, and the worst thing the film will do is most probably make you get some of the songs. The best? Clicking on the `Order` button of course...