Distributed by
Film Four

Cat.no: VCD 0028

Cert: 15

Running time: 97 minutes

Year: 1996

Pressing: 1999

Region(s): 2, PAL

Chapters: 16 plus extras

Sound: Dolby Surround (Dolby Digital 2.0)

Languages: English

Subtitles: English for the hard of hearing

Widescreen: 1.85:1

16:9-enhanced: Yes

Macrovision: Yes

Disc Format: DVD 5

Price: £15.99

Extras : Scene index, Photo Library, Trailer

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Director:

David Evans

Producer:

Amanda Posey

Screenplay:

Nick Hornby (based on his book)

Music:

Neill Maccoll and Boo Hewerdine

Songs:

• The Pretenders - Goin' Back
• The Bible - Honey Be Good
• The La's - There She Goes
• Tommy Steele - Little White Bull
• Harry J Allstars - The Liquidator
• The Smiths - I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
• Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken ?
• Slade - Coz I Luv You
• Aztec Camera - Working In A Goldmine
• New Order - Round And Round
• Paul Hardcastle - The Wizard
• The Jesus and Mary Chain - April Skies
• Tim Hardin - How Can We Hang On To A Dream
• The Pogues - Fiesta
• Lisa Stansfield - All Around The World
• Fine Young Cannibals - Good Thing
• The Who - Baba O'Reilly
• Van Morrison - Bright Side Of The Road

Cast:

Paul: Colin Firth (Another Country, Circle Of Friends, The Hour Of The Pig, A Month In The Country, TV: Pride And Prejudice)
Sarah: Ruth Gemmell
Paul's Dad: Neil Pearson (TV: Between The Lines, Drop The Dead Donkey, Rhodes)
Paul's Mum: Lorraine Ashbourne
Steve: Mark Strong (TV: Emma, Our Friends In The North, Sharpe's Mission)
Jo: Holly Aird (TV: Dressing For Breakfast, Inspector Morse, Kavanagh Q.C., Soldier, Soldier)
Headmaster: Ken Stott (The Debt Collector, TV: Rhodes)
Ray the Guvenor: Stephen Rea (Angel, Angie, Bad Behaviour, The Crying Game)

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The film is set during the 1988/89 football season, which also encompasses the Hillsborough tragedy on April 15th 1989, and Paul has to find the balance between loving one woman and worshipping the eleven men of his home team, Arsenal. Paul wasn't always so besotted with the national game, and flashbacks going back over twenty years are given showing where his obsession began, and continue through the years showing how it progressed.

In the present day, each of the pair have their best friends to turn to when queries arise. Sarah has her flatmate Jo, and Paul has his Subbuteo-loving friend Steve. However, Paul soon learns that relationships, unlike football, aren't played out in seasons and it begs the question - is he more concerned about their relationship lasting once they get it together, or Arsenal's chances of winning the championship for the first time since 1971 ?

The film has a very good cast with some nemorable characters. Colin Firth equips himself well as the passionate fan for whom football means more to him than life itself. Of the rest of the cast, Neil Pearson and Holly Aird are two of the most well-known members, both having been seen in many television productions, and Stephen Rea pops up as a cameo as one of the interviewers when Paul is applying for the Head of Year job.

Ruth Gemmell is adequate in her teacher role, but the chemistry between the two leads doesn't seem quite as apparent as one would have expected in a film about two people who perfectly fit the phrase opposites attract.

The picture quality of the disc is first rate bringing out the flesh tones well, and completely avoiding any colour bleeding as you might expect when a school team with bright red shirts are running about a football field. One scene of note for quality comes early on in chapter 2, in the "Royal Oak vs. Ongar" match on 26th September 1988, as the match is played late at night against a superbly-floodlit pitch. The aspect ratio of 1.85:1, not the 16:9 ratio quoted on the back, also presents the film much better than a fullscreen version would have and the fact it's anamorphic does it great favours. The average bitrate is a superb 8.40Mb/s.

The sound quality is also excellent, bringing the music to life in the many scenes full of top quality tunes from Van Morrison, The Bible, The Smiths and Aztec Camera, as listed earlier in this review and also in the ambient scenes when music isn't playing.

Extras :

Chapters and Trailer :

There is a nice touch, however, in that most chapters are labelled after quotes in the film, such as She's got her heart set on a hairdresser's apprenticeship, when a school "parents evening" doesn't quite go to plan for Sarah; No-One cares if Patrick Swayze read Byron, as Sarah and Jo discuss the merits of superstars over ordinary men; and one that defines itself, Not on the carpet, I can't afford it...

Languages/Subtitles :

Photo library :

Menu :

Overall, this is a film well worth checking out whether you're a football fan or not. Personally, football isn't my bag at all, so a scene such as that near the end when the champion of the first division is revealed comes across as well as any cleverly-written drama; and with the picture and sound quality being as good as this, this disc comes thoroughly recommended, especially at this price, one of VCI's first budget-priced DVDs.