Save the Cinema (2022)

Save the Cinema (2022). Save the Cinema: Directed by Sara Sugarman. With Louisa Cliffe, Krrish Patel, Jonathan Pryce, Beatie Edney. The story of Liz Evans, who lives in Carmarthen South West Wales, who starts a campaign in the 90s to save the Lyric Cinema.

“This new Sky Movies offering, u0026quot;Save the Cinemau0026quot;, is short on finesse but strong on Welsh charm. Itu0026#39;s also based on a true story that I only fully dredged from the deep recesses of my brain as the film was running.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003ePositives:nu003culu003eu003cliu003eNotwithstanding my reservations about this one (as below), this was a heart-warming tale of Welsh grit and determination. It really has a lot in common with last yearu0026#39;s u0026quot;Dream Horseu0026quot; in this regard. Itu0026#39;s also (bizarrely) based on a true story.u003c/liu003eu003c/ulu003eu003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu003culu003eu003cliu003eNote: I have deliberately NOT described the u0026quot;bizarreu0026quot; aspect of the story here, since I hadnu0026#39;t had that spoiled and it made the film far better for me. Although the facts hovered on the edge of my memory, I only progressively recalled them as the film went on!u003c/liu003eu003c/ulu003eu003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu003culu003eu003cliu003eAside from the leads, a wide array of Welsh acting talent is given the chance to perform including comedian Rhod Gilbert, Owain Yeoman, Owen Teale and the very attractive Erin Richards, as the mayoru0026#39;s assistant and love interest Susan. It also pins its Britishness to its sleeve (probably making it a tough sell outside the UK) by featuring Wynne Evans, the u0026quot;Go Compareu0026quot; man. It emerges that he has a genuinely interesting link to the film.u003c/liu003eu003c/ulu003eu003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu003culu003eu003cliu003eItu0026#39;s also great to see Tom Felton on the big screen and NOT playing a villain for once! After roles as Draco Malfoy and the zookeeper in u0026quot;Rise of the Planet of the Apesu0026quot; (a brilliant and under-rated performance in my book) I thought he might end up as the dodgy property developer. But no!u003c/liu003eu003c/ulu003eu003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNegatives:nu003culu003eu003cliu003eI thought the script was really pretty ropey:u003c/liu003eu003cliu003e- The film clunks along with many lines that you really wouldnu0026#39;t imagine anyone saying in reality. At times Liz muses to herself out-loud as a device to move the plot along, when a u0026quot;show-donu0026#39;t-tellu0026quot; approach would have been perfectly sufficient.u003c/liu003eu003c/ulu003eu003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e– Thereu0026#39;s a conflict injected between Liz and her husband David that seems false and purely added for dramatic effect.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e– At times the film overly signposts where its heading, killing any sort of suspense in the story (a u0026#39;goodnightu0026#39; scene with Jonathan Pryce being a prime example).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSummary Thoughts on u0026quot;Save The Cinemau0026quot;: This movie was clunking along, in my opinion, at around the 5/10 level for most of its running time. As Douglas Adams would have put it, it was u0026quot;mostly harmlessu0026quot;. Its ace-in-the-hole was the bizarre historical event that comprises the finale of the movie: an event that caused something irritating to get in my eye and an unexplained lump develop in my throat. For this reason alone, I added on the extra point.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;Save the Cinemau0026quot; is available on Sky / NowTV Cinema (at least, it is in the UK)u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e(For the full graphical review, please check out #onemannsmovies online. Thanks).”