Directed by Alan Parker
1991

Review by: Roachito

Ah yes, the Commitments. Mark this one down on your list of favorite movies from the U.K. But put it toward the bottom of the list, below Trainspotting and Waking Ned Devine. In fact, the Commitments is kind of like the Iron Eagle of its time – not good enough to make it great, but good enough to make it pretty damn good.

The Commitments chronicles the birth and rise of an Irish Soul group. Yes, Irish blokes playing soul – soul like James Brown! Quite the catchy hook if you ask me. It’s like watching midgets play basketball, or the Special Olympics. Jimmy Rabbitte, unemployed pusher of stolen goods, struggles to realize his dreams of managing Dublin’s hardest working soul band.

He is so committed to his role that we see many a monologue with him interviewing himself, describing in detail how his band rose to fame. Now, you might expect the whimsical rehearsal of events yet to come . . . a little off. The bottom line is that, between collecting his unemployment check and working shady exchanges, Jimmys’ Commitments begin to show that their dedication to the band could pay off big.

Soaring from the success of the first gig, the Commitments, fueled by jealousy and egos, teeter closer to the edge of an abyss. The band had earned some respect and was set to explode onto the music scene and each other. Jimmy Rabbitte, manager, has created quite a buzz among the rock media. As pressure mounts on all angles, Jimmy promises the arrival the one and only, Wilson Pickett.

The most amazing part of the entire Commitments story is that after the movie wrapped, the cast took some time off, only to reform the group and perform real gigs.

You can find out more about the band at http://www.thecommitments.net/
or buy tickets for their shows at http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/903608