Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1990s
    Movies - 1990s Movies - C 2 Mins Read

    Commitments, The (1991)

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    Alan Parker‘s film follows the rise and fall of a young Irish soul band, based on the first part of Roddy Doyle’s ‘Barrytown Trilogy’.

    Set in a 90s working-class area of Dublin, young unemployed Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins) is a man with a vision – to bring soul music to Dublin. His friends Derek (Kenneth McCluskey) and Outspan (Glen Hansard) ask him to manage their band and Jimmy agrees, but only on his terms.

    He places an ad in the local paper that simply reads: “have you got soul? If so, the World’s Hardest Working Band is looking for you”.

    Jimmy brings together a conflicting group of young people to play rhythm and blues cover versions of black soul singers – and so The Commitments are born.

    The initial learning process involves watching old James Brown performances and the all-white band collectively chanting: “I’m black and I’m proud!”

    Of the band’s new members, two stand out as inspired discoveries. Deco (Andrew Strong), is a loutish chauvinist with a true soul voice, but unfortunately, his fondness for hogging the limelight soon brings him into conflict with the other band members.

    The other interesting character is born-again-Christian Joey ‘the Lips’ Fagan (Johnny Murphy), an ageing trumpet player who travels everywhere on a moped.

    He claims to have played for many American soul legends but his fellow musicians are more than a little sceptical about his stories.

    However all does not go smoothly and soon their success on stage is overshadowed by their off-stage rivalry, not in the least helped by Joey who seduces all three female backing singers.

    The band’s members struggle with one another to become a tight, fine band – at least for one night.

    The strong soul music soundtrack includes Try a Little Tenderness, Mustang Sally and Midnight Hour.

    Jimmy Rabbitte
    Robert Arkins
    Steve Clifford

    Michael Aherne
    Imelda Quirke

    Angeline Ball
    Natalie Murphy

    Maria Doyle Kennedy
    Mickah Wallace

    Dave Finnegan
    Bernie McGloughlin

    Bronagh Gallagher
    Dean Fay

    Felim Gormley
    Outspan Foster

    Glen Hansard
    Billy Mooney

    Dick Massey
    Joey ”The Lips” Fagan

    Johnny Murphy
    Derek Scully

    Kenneth McCluskey
    Deco Cuffe

    Andrew Strong

    Director
    Alan Parker

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Cuckoo Patrol (1965)
      Cuckoo Patrol (1965)
      Another lightweight vehicle for British cabaret/beat group Freddie and The Dreamers who were topping the charts in the US when…
    • Michael Collins (1997)
      Michael Collins (1997)
      1916: Michael Collins is a young Irish volunteer whose participation in the Easter Uprising fuels his desire to see Ireland…
    • Captain Milkshake (1970)
      Captain Milkshake (1970)
      Director Richard Crawford generated this profoundly-felt protest film about a young Marine called Paul (Geoff Gage) on emergency leave from…
    • Jacob's Ladder (1990)
      Jacob's Ladder (1990)
      Jacob’s Ladder is a horror movie as an ethereal journey. Most of the film takes place in the spiritual world…
    • Cure For Love, The (1950)
      Cure For Love, The (1950)
      Jack Hardacre (Robert Donat), a be-medalled sergeant, returns to his Lancashire home from the Middle East on 21 days' leave.…
    • Young Soul Rebels (1991)
      Young Soul Rebels (1991)
      The hedonistic world of DJs Chris (Valentine Nonyela) and Caz (Mo Sesay) - who operate a pirate radio station called…
    • Brassed Off! (1996)
      Brassed Off! (1996)
      Brassed Off - written and directed by Mark Herman - takes a look at the plight of the British coal miner.…
    • Carpetbaggers, The (1964)
      Carpetbaggers, The (1964)
      George Peppard plays hard-driven playboy industrialist Jonas Cord in Paramount's highest-grossing film of 1964. When Jonas inherits his father's industrial…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleClueless (1995)
    Next Article Con Air (1997)

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Actor’s Hotel
      1 9 5 1 – 1 9 5 2 (USA) 30 minute episodes This 30-minute […]
    • This Is Your Life (USA)
      1 9 5 2 – 1 9 6 1 (USA) 1 9 7 1 – 1 9 7 2 (USA) 1 9 […]
    • Hawkeye & the Last of the Mohicans
      1 9 5 7 – 1 9 5 8 (Canada) 39 x 30 minute episodes This […]
    • Brothers Rico, The (1957)
      Eddie Rico (Richard Conte) has been the book-keeper of an […]
    • Bachelor Party (1985)
      Patchy comedy about a wild party for a soon-to-be-married young […]
    • Jungle Book, The (1967)
      Mowgli, a young orphan boy, is found abandoned in the jungle and […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.