The Full Monty
Director: Peter Cattaneo.
Starring: Robert Carlyle, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Addy, Paul Barber, Steve
Huison, Hugo Speer.
The Full Monty is a great movie. It's funny and light, as
well as touching on deeper issues without being heavy handed about it.
For me there's nothing worse than having an issues rammed down one's
throat while trying to enjoy a movie. There's none of that in The
Full Monty. Instead, it's a light hearted look at some very
interesting issues.
The story is of six unemployed men trying to make a quid and possibly
regain some self-esteem by becoming strippers. If this notion seems
slightly absurd to you, then you're not alone. For many people,
particularly women, the option of becoming a stripper is considered a
last ditch one. When one thinks of female strippers, one thinks of
sleaze, drugs, crime, pimps: not very nice things. Contrast this with
the world of "Manpower" or "The Chippendales." The images here
suggest more RSL clubs, hens nights and silly screaming females. How
does this impact on The Full Monty?
Mike
D'Angelo suggests that the movie is funny but that he had some
idealogical misgivings watching it. I would argue that the issues he
raises, all good points, are exactly the points that the movie is
trying to make. I think The Full Monty is concerned with the
sexist nature of things, just as much as it is concerned with the
plight of the unemployed male.
Consider Gaz (Mr. Robert Carlyle) and Dave (Mr. Mark Addy). They
spend a fair amount of the movie rating women as they walk past them.
At one point, as they are deciding whether the female they have just
noticed is an eight or a nine, Gaz says, "You can never tell till you
see their tits." Later in Gerald's gym (Mr. Tom Wilkinson), they are
again rating women, this time magazine women, but the point is made
even more strongly that it's ok for men to rate women since they're
women but it's different for guys. I guess you could argue that the
movie was incredibly sexist but if you juxtapose these ideas with the
insecurities of Dave about his size and what people will think of him,
it is pretty clear that the movie is highlighting sexism rather than
being sexist.
All of which makes The Full Monty sound like a weighty
feminist tract rather than the very funny film that it is.
The characters are nicely understated, with the exception of the
stepfather who is the traditional cliched, nasty, well-off competitor
for the father. Since his role is very small, it's easy to overlook
this. Also, it is never really clear what makes the son change his
mind about his father's embarrassing antics; they're still just as
embarrassing as ever. However, the film is constantly fun with the
characters always managing to smile about their situations. That in
itself is enough to make The Full Monty worthwhile.
Rating: D
© Nikki Lesley 1997