Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1528 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-07-28
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Full Screen, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 113 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
An irresistible, comic drama from director Alan Parker (Evita, Mississippi Burning), overflowing and alive with passion, humor and music, The Commitments showcases some old R&B standards in a new light. A headstrong, fast-talking, ambitious young Dubliner (Robert Arkins) fancies himself a promoter of talent, and sets about assembling and packaging a local Irish R&B band. His group of self-absorbed, backbiting, but stunningly talented individuals begin to succeed beyond his wildest dreams, until petty jealousies and recrimination threaten to scuttle the whole deal. A moody, vivid and soulful exploration of the Dublin club scene as well as a showcase for some wonderful unknown actors, the film (and its wonderful soundtrack) also features the actual band covering classic soul tunes from the likes of Otis Redding and Sam and Dave. It's that combination of soul and soul music that makes The Commitments a special little film. --Robert Lane, Amazon.com --This text refers to the VHS edition of this video

Special Features
1.33 Full Screen
DVD 5
English
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital Surround English
Dolby Digital Surround
Interactive Menus
Scene Selection
Original Theatrical Trailer
Featurette
Music Video Treat Her Right
Samples From Original Soundtrack Album
None

Synopsis
Alan Parker's THE COMMITMENTS, based on Roddy Doyle's buoyant debut novel, follows the enjoyable travails of a band cobbled together by young Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins), whose vision is to bring soul music to Dublin. After putting an ad in the local paper, Jimmy assembles an unlikely group of musicians who, though nervous, raw, and rough, make music that speaks to something very near the heart of their audience of curious kids and sharp-tongued, sarcastic relatives. As the band nears its big break, egos clash and expectations of fame and fortune start to tear them apart, forcing Jimmy to fight desperately to keep them together.
THE COMMITMENTS bubbles over with life, largely on the strength of the young, mostly unknown cast. Andrew Strong shines in the role of the lead singer exuding a volatile and irresistible charisma as he transforms rapidly from an unsure adolescent into an egotistical spotlight hogger. Colm Meaney contributes a hilarious cameo as Jimmy's father (a role that would expand in two later film adaptations of Doyle novels, THE SNAPPER and THE VAN). Pumped along by killer 1960s soul tunes and crackling throughout with quick-witted dialogue, THE COMMITMENTS is an effervescent, affecting tour through working-class Dublin.

Customer Reviews

A classic in its own right...
"The Commitment" is a exceptional and humourous story about real people in Dublin, Ireland. It is written by Roddy Doyle and centers around a young man and the band he is trying to put together to play soul music. His point is that "The Irish brothers wouldn't be shooting ...each other if they had soul". But keeping the band together turns out to be just as big a problem as it was putting it together in the first place...

The casting for the film took place in Dublin where virtually everybody showed up (says Sharon Corr), so the actors are real dubliners, and they do a fantastic job. They were all unknown when the film was made, but some has made it big on the music scene since (Andrew Strong, Andrea Corr).

Bit perhaps the biggest part in the film is played by the soundtrack. Old classics are given a makeover and are performed brilliantly by the band in the film.

This is a film and a soundtrack that belongs on everyones shelf.

Respect and I feel good
This is close to being my favourite film of all time, whenever I feel a bit low I put it back on and cheer myself up. The characters are brilliant, the music is wonderful, and it's absolutely hilarious. Quite why Andrew Strong never made it as a successful singer I'll never know. Why is it when the Irish F and Blind you can't help but laugh.

What a community!
The film shows a grim looking landscape of high-rise flats, dismal areas of waste and squalor, high unemployment and few prospects for young people - but growing out of this unpromising soil, the most vibrant, colourful, fun community imaginable. The sense of neighbourhood, shared experience and follow-feeling alone, could make you wish you were an North Dubliner yourself. And that's even before the music's added to the mix. It shows a community of lively, intelligent, witty kids and young adults who are finding ways to keep themselves entertained and entertain the rest of the town - with the long-term aim of also making a good living and getting famous. It's fun while it lasts. The humour should keep you laughing and grinning between classic soul numbers, where you may feel constrained to adopt a more serious attitude and sing along. The group swing up through the learning curve pretty quickly, starting off out of tune and out of time and ending up belting out the numbers like pros. Just wonderful. I was surprised to learn the boy who plays Deco (Andrew Strong) was only 16 when this film was made. What an incredible voice! (Since then Joss Stone has also shown that young lungs and larynx can produce amazing sounds, but it's still a surprise.) In any case, the whole thing: the story, the music and the acting are just superb. The only faces I recognised were Colm Meaney (playing Jimmy Rabbitte senior) and Sean Hughes (playing Dave of "Eejit Records"), because most of the actors were found by auditioning locals. What a talented bunch of locals! Excellent film - the sort you'll want to watch again and again.