GOING THE FULL MONTY

Exposed’s film writer Cal Reid reflects on the legacy of Sheffield’s most famous cinematic export.

THE NAKED TRUTH: 5 THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE FULL MONTY

With the imminent arrival of Disney’s new series, what better time could there be to look back on one of the greatest British comedies of all time?

At its heart, The Full Monty is a film about traditional masculinity in crisis, of being cast adrift in a world changed almost overnight and finding purpose again by reinvention. What appeals to me personally is that it’s a film wholly concerned with sensitive male issues such as repressed homosexuality, male suicide and, perhaps most significantly, poor body image. All these themes link in some way back to the umbrella issue of surviving in a post-Thatcher Sheffield, and whilst certain themes have been explored very thoroughly before and after Monty, others such as male suicide and negative body image are not nearly represented enough for men in cinema, or at least not with the same degree of frankness.

The whole concept of the group going nude on stage is a representation of how the traditional working-class man would have to change and embrace something entirely contradictory with entrenched norms and values to survive in the modern world. Given how drastically societal norms have changed since 1997, it will be interesting to see how the characters are now functioning in 2023.

Most will remember moments such as the Donna Summer dance in the dole queue, or the auditions on the factory floor, but the scenes which stand out in my mind are those that involve comedic bonding between the group, my favourite sequence being the football match near Parkwood Springs with the panoramic Sheffield skyline in the background.

More than two decades on and The Full Monty remains a sharp, witty, and poignant comedydrama.

1: Apparently some cinemagoers in the US struggled with the film’s accents so much that some were handed handy translation sheets for the Sheffield twang.

2: It was a huge hit over here though, raking in a massive £52 million at the British Box Office.

3: The original working title was “Eggs, Beans and Chippendales” – not quite so catchy!

4: The famous final strip scene was filmed at Shiregreen WMC, which is now derelict despite repeated attempts to save the building.

5: … And yes, it has been confirmed by the actors that they did indeed go the ‘Full Monty’ in front of 400+ extras and film crew.

COMING SOON…

The Flash

The much-anticipated crossover adventure featuring Ben Affleck’s last go at Batman, the return of Michael Keaton’s Dark Knight and a new interpretation of Supergirl.

The Boogeyman

Based on a short story by Stephen King, The Boogeyman follows a grief-stricken family who must do battle with a terrifying entity that has infiltrated their home.

TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS

Following on from Bumblebee and inspired by the Beast Wars storylines, this latest instalment will also see the arrival of the planet-eating Unicron.

How To Blow Up A Pipeline

A terrific nail-biting environmentalist thriller from director Daniel Goldhaber, How to Blow Up a Pipeline follows a group of saboteurs drawn together from various walks of life, who work together to disrupt the pipeline of unnamed oil corporation. The film depicts the tense progress of their operation, interspersed with flashbacks which reveal the central characters’ motivations.

Based on a non-fiction book of the same name by Andreas Malm, the film takes stylistic inspiration from thrillers of the late 1970s and ‘80s. Nowhere is this more evident than in its astonishing soundtrack by Gavin Brivik. Politically, it has the cynical air of a postWatergate thriller, and whilst it leans towards supporting sabotage as a necessary means of protesting, it does so intelligently whilst considering the negative ramifications of such actions.

This is explored largely through the characters’ backstories. Intentional or not, the film presents a very nuanced depiction of its activists. Certain characters have perfectly legitimate reasons for their actions, whilst others have far more dubious or downright selfindulgent motivations. Theo, terminally ill because of pollution from a nearby oil refinery in her hometown, is aided by her partner Alisha to engage in the ‘project’ as it is frequently described. Another group member, Logan, is merely a rich kid gone off the rails with his girlfriend Rowen in tow. These two especially are more concerned with the rebellious thrill of the movement than having any clear ideological drive. The scowling bomb expert Michael comes across as an unhinged fringe figure, who just happens to have chosen the oil industry as his nemesis, but in different circumstances would almost certainly find something else to blow up. There’s a particularly telling moment where he and Dwayne, another character who has justified grievances with the oil industry, are alone and Dwayne swiftly and bluntly ends Michael’s attempt at conversation. Xochitl, a lifelong friend of Theo’s, seems more concerned with being the face of a movement. Alisha at one point demeans Xochitl’s involvement, putting it down to transparent superciliousness after being at college for a year.

The film is commendably critical of activist movements that accomplish nothing beyond selfindulgent videos and leaflet distributing, which essentially holds them accountable as being part of the problem rather than the solution. Even if you don’t agree with sabotage as an appropriate means of activism, the film argues convincingly as to why individuals would be driven to it.

A fantastic thriller that matches superb tension with incredible depth. 5/5