Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (2002)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Shane Meadows

Writers:

Paul Fraser (written by) and
Shane Meadows (written by)

Release Date:

6 September 2002 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A tinned spaghetti western

Plot:

After seeing his ex-girlfriend (Henderson) turn down a nationally televised marriage proposal, a small-time crook (Carlyle) returns to his hometown to try and win back her heart.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Marriage Proposal | Money | Ex Girlfriend | Love

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Robert Carlyle	...	Jimmy
Vanessa Feltz	...	Vanessa
Ricky Tomlinson	...	Charlie
Kathy Burke	...	Carol
Vicki Patterson	...	Audience Guest
Shirley Henderson	...	Shirley
Finn Atkins	...	Marlene
Kelly Thresher	...	Donna
Rhys Ifans	...	Dek
Andrew Shim	...	Donut
Ryan Bruce	...	Emerson
Eliot Otis Brown Walters	...	Lake
Anthony Strachan	...	Jumbo (as Antony Strachan)
David McKay	...	Dougy (as David Mckay)
James Cosmo	...	Billy

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-7 | Iceland:L | Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:A

Filming Locations:

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

FilmFour

Trivia:

When Dek (played by Rhys Ifans) finds out that Jimmy (played by Robert Carlyle), is back in town, he proclaims to Carol: "He's only your foster brother! He could have Hannibal Lector's DNA for all we know! Rhys Ifans went on to portray Grutas, Hannibal Lector's nemesis, in Hannibal Rising.

Quotes:

Charlie: [after an altercation between Jimmy and Dek] Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, there's been a bit of an incident. It appears that someone's been given the correct change by one of the barmaids.

Movie Connections:

References The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Soundtrack:

Whatever You Want

'Once upon a time in the midlands'

'Once upon a time in the midlands' is the next instalment from Nottingham director Shane Meadows, indeed it concludes his 'Nottingham trilogy' along with previous efforts 'Twentyfourseven' and 'A Room for Romeo Brass' I am glad to say that it surpassed all my expectations. It's a tale of a loner Jimmy (Robert Carlyle) who by chance manages to see his ex, Shirley (Shirley Henderson) on a television show turning down a proposal from her new boyfriend on national television, this prompts Jimmy to return to Nottingham and try to win her back, along with the Daughter (a brilliant debut from 12 year old Finn Atkins). There's just a few problems for Jimmy on the way, Shirley's wimpy yet loving new bloke Dek (Rhys Ifans), Jimmy's mouthy step sister and her wannabe country singer husband (Kathy Burke and Ricky Tomlinson respectively) not forgetting his shady friends who pursue him down south after he rips them off after a strange robbery goes horribly wrong.

All members of the cast shine and its fun to see a 'western' style angle being adopted – the classic tale of a loner coming into town to win back his girl, chased by villains and ready for a final confrontation with the man who his girl is now hooked up with. I hope this film gets the recognition that it deserves.