ONE CHANCE

UK, 2013, 103 minutes, Colour.
James Corden, Alexandra Roach, Julie Walters, Colm Meaney, Mackenzie Crook.
Directed by David Frankel.

This is a crowd-pleasing film, the story of a young boy growing into a man, bullied at school, encouraged by his mother, discouraged by his father, a boy who from his earliest years loved opera and loved singing it. It is based on the story of Welsh contestant on Britain has Talent, Paul Potts, who won the competition, despite his nervousness and setbacks in his life, and went on to a career of recording and performance.

The film has been directed by an American, David Frankel, best known in for The Devil Wears Prada, Hope Springs and Marty and Me. He enters into the Welsh atmosphere of the film, filming in Paul Potts’ town, Port Talbot (the town of Richard Burton, Anthony Hopkins, Michael Sheen). There are many overviews of the town, the industrial centre, the coast, the port, as well as the details of the houses, the shops, the churches, ordinary life.

James Corden, has appeared in a number of comedies, especially The History Boys as well as the National Theatre’s film of One Man, Two Guvners. This time, while there are a number of comic scenes, Corden creates a credible and sympathetic character. We see Paul as a pudgy young boy, tormented by his classmates and physically bullied and humiliated. We see him as a young adult, still the butt of his tormentors. His mother, played with her usual zest by Julie Walters, truly believes in her son and his talent. His father, played by Colm Meaney, is a factory worker who had his moment as a footballer but has been satisfied with his lot, thinking that there is something odd with his son and his interest in singing.

Paul has been corresponding and texting with a young woman from Bristol, Julz (Alexandra Roach) he calling himself Brad Pitt and indicating that he had similar looks, while she has been Cameron Diaz. When they eventually meet, there is a strong rapport between the two, she encouraging Paul in his desire to go to Venice to train to sing as well as meet Pavarotti. His performance in a local competition, dressed as Pagliacci, draws derision in the pub but he overcomes them and receives thunderous applause. And he goes to Venice, with the possibility to sing for Pavarotti, but his nervousness ruins his audition.

It looks as though he will have to work in the factory, but finds he cannot do it and returns full-time to a temporary job that he had in Carphone Warehouse. Speaking of product placement, Julz works at Boots. When he is invited to perform in a local production of Aida, he has to have surgery for his appendix and collapses, with a later return to hospital when he is hit by a car, even losing his voice for some time. Encouraged by his best friend, a lugubrious-looking Mackenzie Crook who works at Carphone and his hard-case girlfriend, Paul is persuaded to enter for Britain has Talent, with the support of Julz whom he has married.

The film incorporates footage from the actual show, with the judges, Simon Cowell (one of the producers of this film), Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan as well as the response of the audience. Paul receives great acclaim for his singing of Nessun Dorma. There are quite a number of operatic excerpts throughout the film which will please even audiences who are not opera fans.

This is a feel-good film, the kind of film which more serious critics tend to look down on, even venturing the word sentimental. While there is a lot of sentiment in this film, most audiences will appreciate it, share it, with plenty of laughter (and there are some very funny lines), and even a tear when Paul triumphs.

1. An entertaining film? Based on a true story? Adapted and softened? The tone? The blend of the comic and the serious?

2. The British talent shows and their popularity throughout the world, Britain’s Got Talent? The popular audience? And for this film?

3. The importance of opera, the range of excerpts? Some sung by Paul Potts? Other voices? Paul singing at home, the competition and his dressing as Pagliacci, his performance, his singing in Venice, La Boheme, Nessun Dorma? His song for Jules?

4. Paul and his story, his voiceover, the sad beginning, the happy completion of his story? The performance of James Corden, his screen presence? His size, sympathetic, as a boy, his being bullied, as an adult, the continuing of the bullying, the physical violence, the humiliation? His love of opera as a boy, his mother’s encouragement, his father’s incomprehension, his job expectations, the scenes at home, at the Carphone Warehouse? Working with his best friend?

5. Paul’s mother, her zest, support, love of opera? Liking Jules, the meal, the chat, the wedding, in the hospital? Her dancing at the wedding, full of energy? Paul’s dad, grumpy, his football memories, mocking his son, and the disdain, his work in the factory? His wanting Paul to work in the factory? Upset at his walking out, embarrassed by Paul singing? Hearing the acclaim, his apology, his punching Matt for his bullying his son? His final pride?

6. Jules, Brad Pitt and Cameron Diaz? Texting, meeting at the station, Paul unable to buy the flowers and buying the torch? Her receiving it? Their sharing, talking, the phone calls, his planned for Venice, his failure and his not ringing her? Her working in Boots, upset, his visits, spurning him at the checkout? His singing to her in the street? A change of heart? The wedding, the celebration, getting on with Paul’s parents? Her devotion to Paul, the wedding reception and dancing? Her gift of the gramaphone and the Puccini record? encouraging him? The visits to the hospital? The competition, going with Paul’s mother to the television performance? Anxious, joy?

7. The men in the pub, Matt and his bullying from school days, his looking down on Paul and his performance in the pub, his winning, Matt and his friend attacking Paul, his best friend’s girlfriend hitting Matt and Paul getting the money to pay for Venice?

8. Venice, Alessandra, the classes, the phone calls to Jules, singing, learning, being chosen to sing for Pavarotti, the duet from La Boheme, Alessandra and her threats with her brothers, his going to the meal, outside, grandmother and her encouragement? Nervous, the others anxious for him, singing for Pavarotti, choking, Pavarotti speech urging him not to sing?

9. Depression, work in the factory, his inability to stay there, going to Carphone Warehouse? The opportunity for the opera and Aida? His appendix crisis, singing when he was unwell, collapsing? Time passing, his getting his voice back, exuberance, being knocked down? In hospital again?

10. His friendship with his best friend, the friend and his love for fantasy games, his girlfriend, interactions, her acclaim for Paul singing in the pub, knocking out Matt? Walking out on him? His work at the work Warehouse, bad skills were dealing with people? His getting the raise, the regional job? Paul and his being the local boss?

11. Singing in the shower, getting his voice back, exuberance, being hit by the car? In hospital, time passing?

12. Jules, the notice about Britain’s Got Talent, tossing the coin, the application, acceptance, the audition? The performance night? At the television station, his wanting to leave, continued nervousness, Jules texting him and reassuring him? The technician and his encouragement, the poor performance of the family and the Sound of Music? The reaction of the judges, the footage of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Piers Morgan, the audience? The laughter at Paul and his ambitions? The transformation as he sang? The acclaim? His dad watching it in the pub and his pride, his mother and Jules in the audience?

13. A happy ever after story, the couple in Venice, the story of his record, the sales, performances, in front of the Queen?

14. A film about affirming people and their abilities and talents?