Still Crazy (1998)

Stephen Rea, an Oscar nominee for The Crying Game (1992), stars as Tony Costello. Once the keyboardist for the fictional Seventies British band Strange Fruit, Tony now runs a condom concession in bar toilets in Ibiza, off the coast of Spain.

A chance meeting with a Fruit fan brings the opportunity for a reunion concert at the Wisbech Rock Festival – if Tony can first round up his former mates for a tour of Holland. No easy task, since the Fruit have long since spoiled on one another.

Lead singer Ray Simms (Bill Nighy) still ekes out a music career thanks to his pushy wife, Astrid (Helena Bergström), but drummer Beano (Timothy Spall) is a gardener gone to fat, singer-bassist Les Wickes (Jimmy Nail) runs a struggling roofing business, and lead guitarist Brian Lovell (Bruce Robinson) – who drew the most groupies – is rumored to be dead.

With the aid of Karen (Juliet Aubrey), the band’s personal assistant, and Hughie (Billy Connolly), a Scottish roadie, Tony does put the Fruit back on their shaky feet.

To take the edge off these geezers (they’re all pushing fifty), young guitarist Luke Shand (Hans Matheson) stomps around in tight pants that attract Karen’s teen daughter, Clare (Rachael Stirling).

Still Crazy plays like This Is Spinal Tap meets The Commitments. The latter was written by this film’s writers and executive producers, British comedy writing legends Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais.

Director Brian Gibson (who guided Tina Turner‘s story in What’s Love Got to Do With It?) achieves a solid blend of humour and heart. The cast hits all the right notes, with Nighy a standout in a scene that shows Ray’s confidence restored by the roar of the crowd.

The music by Mick Jones of Foreigner, with lyrics by Chris Difford of Squeeze, perfectly captures the vitality and bombast of Seventies rock.

When Strange Fruit reunite to sing The Flame Still Burns at the film’s climax, you might find it hard to disagree.

Tony Costello
Stephen Rea
Hughie
Billy Connolly
Les Wickes
Jimmy Nail
David ‘Beano’ Baggot
Timothy Spall
Ray Simms
Bill Nighy
Karen Knowles
Juliet Aubrey
Astrid Simms
Helena Bergström
Brian Lovell
Bruce Robinson
Luke Shand
Hans Matheson
Clare Knowles
Rachael Stirling
Neil Gaydon
Phil Daniels
Zoë
Zoë Ball
Young Karen
Virginia Clay
Young Hughie
Luke Garrett
Young Beano
Sean McKenzie
Young Ray
Rupert Penry-Jones
Young Brian
Matthew Finney
Young Les
Alex Palmer
Young Tony
Gavin Kennedy
Young Keith
Lee Williams
Gary
Andy Nichol
Hockney
Francis Magee
Not Morrissey
Justin Grattan
Jason
Delroy Atkinson
Steve Greenblatt
Julian Sims
Kevin
Peter Baynham
Camille
Alphonsia Emmanuel
Natasha
Mikayla Jones
Adam
Jason Green
Clive
Danny Webb
Mrs Baggot
Sheila Reid

Director
Brian Gibson