Marvellous (2014)

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

There's always a clown/retard in every public organisation; as this movie (based on a true story) reminds us. As a Movie, it's rather well done and entertaining, however, that it's actually based on a real persons life events, is concern for worry (at least for me), and simply highlights how readily society is prepared to go for one person who just happens to be at the right place-at the right time. Tokenism in the extreme, is another valid headline, for society's willingness to showcase it's Christian attitude, (contrast that with the way refugees from war-torn middle east countries are greeted and treated when they land on the shores of their Christian neighbours). So if you can watch this without the underlying reality that i't actually a true story, you should enjoy it, but it will really grate your humanitarian bones once you realise it's actually true.

Marvellous is a film you could safely recommend to anybody.It is difficult to envisage what you could not like or gain from watching it. It will take you through every emotion imaginable in the 90 minutes and can justifiably apply a range of genres. It's is slightly slow in the earlier portion, the chronology goes slightly awry at times but nothing which hinders it and you can near guarantee being enriched through the life of Baldwin and performance of Jones being presented to you.The only downside is that neither film or actor probably meet any of the award season elligibility criteria.

Marvellous is actually based on a true person. Neil Baldwin lives with his mum, deeply religious and wants to run away to the circus to be a clown and make people happy.Neil is also a person with mild learning difficulties, his mother is worried how he could cope on his own but Neil never lets setbacks hold him back. He makes friends whether its bishops, Archbishops, politicians or football managers.After being abandoned by the circus, he becomes a greeter at Keele University, he becomes a kit-man to his beloved Stoke City and befriended by their manager Lou Macari. He even turned up regularly at the Oxbridge boat race standing behind the race referee.Neil was eventually awarded a honorary degree in 2013 at Keele University. Its a life affirming film with the real Neil Baldwin popping up with Toby Jones who portrays him alongside other real life individuals such as Lou Macari. Its almost a fantasy but you keep getting reminded that this is based on true facts as these real people pop up. When you see Neil having tea with Tony Benn in the House of Commons is because he really did know his son Stephen.Jones does a good job in getting under the skin of Neil, channelling his optimistic spirit and also the doldrums that he enters when his mother dies. Its moving as well as funny with tinges of sadness.The film is supposedly a period piece but you are never sure when in the past its based, I guess much of the events took place in the 1970s but Macari became manager for Stoke in the early 1990s and Neil has been an unofficial greeter for Keele University for around 50 years when he got there as a schoolboy.It surely is an individualistic, rather left field film, well it had to be made that way if they wanted to display Neil's indomitable spirit.

I've seen all the blockbusters this year. Guardians was great with an awesome soundtrack. X-Men was epic and Captain America was excellent but Toby Jones' best film this year doesn't have to rely on special effects to tell a very special story. This film has real heart and tells an extraordinary story with warmth and humour about Stoke City's famous kit man, ex circus clown Neil Baldwin, who along with ex Man United legend Lou Macari, appear in sporadic scenes with the actors who play their parts beautifully. These interjections work brilliantly and give you a sense of Neil Baldwin's wonderful personality. I was very impressed with David Tennant's performance in United but I think Tony Curran has trumped him here. In fact all the cast were excellent including Gemma Jones, who we know as Brigid Jones' mother, and Nicholas Gleaves. Gary Linikear also makes an impressive cameo. It's a better film than United which was in itself excellent and though It may not have the drama of The Damned United, it's definitely on a par artistically. If you don't feel good after watching this film you have serious problems!