Plot
In the heat of the summer of 1976, drama teacher Vivienne fights sweltering heat and general teenage apathy to put on an end-of-term version of Shakespeare's The Tempest.
Release Year: 2011
Rating: 5.5/10 (306 voted)
Director:Marc Evans
Storyline
In the heat of the summer of 1976, keen drama teacher Vivienne fights sweltering heat and general teenage apathy to put on an end of year music version of Shakespeare's The Tempest. To engage her students, she uses hits of the time, which will be performed by a fresh young cast led by rising star Aneurin Barnard.
I usually despise musicals. I cringe at the sight of teenagers wearing
pasted-on smiles, belting out show tunes whilst mid-conversation with
stern authority figures. Yet Marc Evans' Hunky Dory seeks to counter
the contrivance of High School Musical and Glee, instead presenting us
with a naturalistic drama that explores the lives of a dreamless bunch
of kids in pre-Thatcher South Wales. Despite facing their last summer
holiday before being destined for mediocrity, free-spirited drama
teacher Vivienne May (Minnie Driver) wants her class to put on an end
of year production of The Tempest "that William Shakespeare and David
Bowie would be proud of" in order to give them some lasting hope of
achievement.
The film follows the cast as they seek to produce a "Shakespearean
concept rock opera", despite disapproval from conservative teachers,
prejudiced rugby coaches and skinhead relatives. The youngsters'
talents shine through, with the 1976 backdrop meaning ensemble
performances of the likes of David Bowie, Nick Drake, ELO and The Beach
Boys. There is a strong feel-good vibe to Hunky Dory, which dances
between comedic musical and nostalgic drama with some success. Several
character arcs map the cast's progression through the stereotypical
hurdles of adolescent strife but all's well by opening night, when
the class perform relatively unscathed.
However, there is a great failing in Hunky Dory due to its poverty of
originality. The setting and story borrow heavily from Richard
Linklater's Dazed and Confused and School of Rock, whilst the students'
individual stories aren't given time to develop, and so seem to be
pulled straight from Skins and Cemetery Junction. Perhaps Marc Evans
bit off more than he could chew here. I imagine that Hunky Dory would
play out quite well as a TV mini-series, and perhaps the predictable
plot and two-dimensional characters may simply be a result of it being
confined to 110 minutes. Nonetheless, the film is an easy watch,
especially the final rendition of Life On Mars?, which is performed
impeccably. Expect some warm chuckles in the hazy Welsh sunshine, but
not riotous laughs. Hunky Dory won't ever have you on the edge of your
seat, but its pleasant enough to keep you in it.
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