Spike Island
Director: Mat Whitecross.
Actors: Emilia Clarke, Elliot Tittensor, Nico Mirallegro
Release Date: Monday 30th November -0001
Genre(s): Drama
Running time: 105 minutes
What's this, Stone Roses Month or something? With comeback gigs, Shane Meadows' documentary and this drama centred on the run up to their 'legendary' Spike Island concert, it seems everything has come down with a case of the Mancunian.
It's 1990 and for 'Tits' (Tittensor) and his band, Shadow Caster, The Stone Roses' debut album isn't just a record, it's a way of life. Ian Brown's youth-infused lyrics inspiring a whole generation of school kids, with 'The past was yours but the future's mine' spat at Downton Abbey's Rob James-Collier, Tits' moustachioed, out of touch teacher. When the Roses announce their Spike Island concert, infamous for its crap sound, the band scramble to lay down a demo so they can somehow get it to the band. However, getting tickets proves harder than expected…
There's a lot going on in Spike Island but it's never busy and nothing ever connects. Tits' father (a growly Steve Evets) is dying of cancer and Tits worries that his no-good older brother (Matthew McNulty) won't get his act together to make it to the hospital in time. Tits also has eyes for Emilia Clarke's (Game of Thrones) Sally, but resists making a move because best mate and guitarist Dodge (Mirallegro) likes her too. Then there's the family's flagging floral business, band ructions and the home life of band member Zippy (Jordan Murphy), whose depressed father is threatening to pack off to the army. All of this feels tacked on but Spike Island's biggest sin is not selling us the idea that being at this gig is the be all and end all for the lads, which is inexcusable.
But the Mancunian threads, the hairstyle and the swagger are bang on and the undulated love for the music gets Spike Island over some rough spots with Waterfall, Bye Bye Badman, She Bangs The Drums, Fool's Gold and Sally Cinamon getting a workout in between Tim Wheeler's (Ash) original music. The climactic rendition I Am The Resurrection is wonderful.
The story deserved a better movie. But then so did director Mat Whitecross's last film, the Ian Dury biopic Sex And Drugs And Rock And Roll.
