I like low-budget British films, I like films based around the working-class, I like movies based around the British music scene and I like era based movies such as the 60s, 70s and 80s. London Town ticks all the above boxes, but does it deliver? Not so much.
London Town is based in 1970s London, its a sort of coming of age movie which follows a teenage boy trying to find himself in a world which is moving fast and he simply has to grow up quick in order to keep up. His mother has left to pursue her own music career and he is left with his younger sister and father, when he father is injured and hospitalised, he is forced to become the man of the house and provide for the family. He meets a girl on a trip into London and along with some help from his Mother, he is introduced to The Clash and the lifestyle that goes along with following such a band. The Clash are a plot and marketing point, they aren't a primary focus. They aren't all that important in the end, similar to the Spike Island movie in which The Stone Roses are used in a similar way.
A big problem I had with London Town is that it really fails to deliver on any level of realism and in failing to do so you feel very detached from the characters and story lines. We are introduced to many different characters from many different backgrounds and everyone seems to be the ultimate stereotype of their character. Every character is portrayed as the extreme. It tries for emotion, really hard at times but ultimately doesn't reach the levels it tries to and feels quite poorly finished in the end. The main actor does a pretty decent job but the supporting cast don't offer too much in terms of quality, everything just feels a little wooden and the script is lacking, resulting in no real stand out scenes.
It isn't all doom and gloom though, some of the settings are very nicely done and you do feel transported back to 1970's England. The story, while clichéd, watered down and predictable, is a feel good, coming of age drama and there were moments which I enjoyed, it's just a shame they were few and far between.
I won't be watching London Town again and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as it is quite a forgettable movie. IT has a decent run-time though which helps keep the pacing solid and there will be people out there who will appreciate it more than myself.
5/10
London Town is based in 1970s London, its a sort of coming of age movie which follows a teenage boy trying to find himself in a world which is moving fast and he simply has to grow up quick in order to keep up. His mother has left to pursue her own music career and he is left with his younger sister and father, when he father is injured and hospitalised, he is forced to become the man of the house and provide for the family. He meets a girl on a trip into London and along with some help from his Mother, he is introduced to The Clash and the lifestyle that goes along with following such a band. The Clash are a plot and marketing point, they aren't a primary focus. They aren't all that important in the end, similar to the Spike Island movie in which The Stone Roses are used in a similar way.
A big problem I had with London Town is that it really fails to deliver on any level of realism and in failing to do so you feel very detached from the characters and story lines. We are introduced to many different characters from many different backgrounds and everyone seems to be the ultimate stereotype of their character. Every character is portrayed as the extreme. It tries for emotion, really hard at times but ultimately doesn't reach the levels it tries to and feels quite poorly finished in the end. The main actor does a pretty decent job but the supporting cast don't offer too much in terms of quality, everything just feels a little wooden and the script is lacking, resulting in no real stand out scenes.
It isn't all doom and gloom though, some of the settings are very nicely done and you do feel transported back to 1970's England. The story, while clichéd, watered down and predictable, is a feel good, coming of age drama and there were moments which I enjoyed, it's just a shame they were few and far between.
I won't be watching London Town again and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as it is quite a forgettable movie. IT has a decent run-time though which helps keep the pacing solid and there will be people out there who will appreciate it more than myself.
5/10