Blackball

DVD

Condition

Good

Category

DVD

Actor

Vince Vaughn

Actor

Paul Kaye

Actor

James Cromwell

Actor

Alice Evans

Actor

Bernard Cribbins

Actor

Johnny Vegas

Audience Rating

Suitable for 15 years and over

Certificate

15

Director

Mel Smith

Genre

Comedy

Language

English

Manufacturer

Icon Home Entertainment

Number Of Discs

1

Publisher

Warner Bros. Home Ent.

Region Code

DVD: 2 (Europe, Japan, Middle East...)

Release Year

2003

Release Date

2004-02-16

Running Time Units = minutes

93

Sub- Genre

Bowling

U P C

7321900958592

E A N

7321900958592

Film/ T V Title

Blackball

Format

DVD

Encoding

PAL

Type

Movie

Edition

Standard

Features

Widescreen

Subtitle Language

English

Synopsis

Mel Smith directs a very English cast in this light-comedy based loosely on the story of Bowler Cliff Starkey (Paul Kaye). Starkey dreams of playing for England however, he just can't keep out of trouble and has always preferred following his own rules - much to the disapproval of the stuck-up local bowls club in Torquay. But when Rick Schwartz (Vince Vaughn), an American sports agent, takes Cliff under his wing he becomes a national hero...
Blackball marks the feature debut of Paul Kaye, who spins a somewhat more likeable variation on his arrogant Perfect World TV persona in this underdog-triumphs-over-adversity comedy. Set, like Fawlty Towers, in the holiday resort of Torquay, and echoing the small-town seaside pettiness of Tony Hancock's The Punch and Judy Man (1963), Blackball is as bitterly class conscious as either, with Kaye as a working-class, potentially world-champion bowler with an enormous chip on his shoulder. Written by Tim Firth (the man also responsible for 2003's Calendar Girls), the film seems unsure what it wants to be, aiming potshots at the corrupting influence of big money TV deals and commercial tie-ins on traditional values, while simultaneously trampling on those very values by celebrating the repugnant antics of Kaye's MTV-generation angry young sportsman.
Director Mel Smith eventually swamps any satiric intent under a full slate of feel-good comedy clichs, though he does win fine performances from James Cromwell and Bernard Cribbins as Kaye's proud nemesis and kindly uncle respectively. While parts of the script involving their back stories seems to have been left on the cutting room floor, the restrained dignity these two elder statesmen bring to their roles speaks volumes about changes in attitudes between the generations. Consistently amusing, though too predictable to be hilarious, Blackball features strong support from Vince Vaughn, Johnny Vegas, Imelda Staunton and Alice Evans. Stephen Warbeck's score really elevates proceedings once the product-placed rock soundtrack stands aside.

IMAGES

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REGION CODES

0 - Global.
1 - United States (incl. Puerto Rico), Canada and Bermuda.
2 - Europe (without Belarus, Ukraine and Russia), Greenland, Turkey, Middle East, Egypt, Eswatini, Lesotho, South Africa and Japan.
3 - Southeast Asia, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.
4 - Latin America, Caribbean (except French West Indies), and Oceania.
5 - Africa, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Central Asia, South Asia, Mongolia, and North Korea.
6 - Mainland China.
7 - MPAA-related DVDs and "media copies" of pre-releases in Asia.
8 - International venues such as aircraft, cruise ships and spacecraft.
ALL - These region discs have all 1 through 8 flags set, allowing the disc to be played in any location, on any player.

FORMATS

DVDs are also formatted for use on two conflicting regional television systems: 60Hz (NTSC) and 50Hz (PAL) respectively.
NTSC is the TV format associated with the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Philippines, Taiwan, and other countries.
PAL is the color TV format associated with most of Europe, most of Africa, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, North Korea, and other countries.

CONDITIONS

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