Almost Married

source: Almost Married

Good movie!

The movie kept me glued to the screen. In the same league as the hangover or even better. Does not deserve this rating. If you have a brain you will enjoy this film.

Choose by the wife (who often judges a book by its cover) - she thought it was a chick flick, was it? Almost married wasn't the soppy crass movie I had thought it was going to be - but that's what happens when you don't read up on it first :) To be honest all this has really to do with getting married is how (maybe) your LAD is perceived to handle the lead up to the big day when he has been on a stag night he cannot remember. A lot of drinking swearing and stupid decisions from the lads mixed with some heart felt moments from Kyle (Phillip McGinley)& Jarvis (Mark Stobbart) "especially in Kyle's garage" You are drawn in to Kyle's pain from the very start - "Ouch that must have hurt"... From here you join Kyle on is (WTF happened) journey accompanied by best mate Jarvis - now pay attention during the movie or the movie will end with you saying ..Eh.. (I did say there is a twist) Not the best movie out there but not bad - It's worth a watch... ME

Almost Married had been on my list of films my wife and I would one day get round to watching. I off course was judging the film poster and the trailer, expecting a typical narrative of a young couple about to get married, have a crisis, resolve it, and live happily ever after. I was so wrong! Director Ben Cookson film is a refreshing surprise. It is funny, but dig deeper and issues, of dishonesty, lies, deceit, and betrayal bubble to the surface.The film feels like an observational documentary, raw unrehearsed with a surprising ending. My wife and I enjoyed the story line and the friendship between Kyle and Javis. You only need to look at Kyle's expression at the very end to know the truth. Almost Married is a good investment of your time... so don't miss it!

If you've watched this film and given it a low viewer rating score, just go back and watch the last 15-20 minutes or so again. Because that's the heart of the film.. that and the scene where his close friend reveals to him what ultimately becomes the damning confession when linked with the ending. It's a pretty darned good little film. Maybe lots of viewers would want to be the 'fly on the wall' and see what transpires shortly thereafter.. I know I would. There's lots left to a thought process that takes place off-screen in this film. It's not always the most entertaining of methods to put forth to the viewing audience.. but it can at times be very effective. Watch the film again.. then decide how you ultimately feel about it.

I'm not sure if I was watching the same movie as the other reviewers that have all left 8 and above, it begs the question of what they rating they give a good film. Personally I'm a big fan of British movies, I do what I can to see them and rent them when they come up. I have a lot of faith in the acting and writing of fellow Brits to deliver. From Blackadder to Four Lions there's a lot of genius in British comedy. Sadly none of it is here. That said the dialogue and direction are good, there was plenty of quality that helped mask an underlying problem. Eventually the dialogue seems to become very repetitive. After an hour I'd got bored of the whining of the protagonist and the sheer banality of his mate, with too few laughs to lift the movie from being dreary. Just because a movie has men wee-ing in it and talks about STI's doesn't make it edgy or even particularly clever and it certainly doesn't make it funny. 5 stars isn't bad for me and its a nod to the positive aspects of the film. It's better than I could do, but it isn't good.

In terms of plot, ALMOST MARRIED recalls early Seventies efforts such as PERCY'S PROGRESS (1974) in its almost relentless obsession with the *. The basic framework is straightforward: Kyle (Philip McGinley) is reluctant to go through with his marriage to fiancée Lydia (Emily Attack) in the belief that he has contracted a sexually transmitted disease. After a picaresque series of adventures, including a dash up to Newcastle to visit its brothels, he discovers that he is perfectly healthy, and that the disease has originated from somewhere else. Ben Cookson's film contains a relentless stream of bawdy jokes, allied to a peculiarly British modesty when it comes to talking about sexual matters. While Kyle and his best friend Jarvis (Mark Stobart) are perfectly happy to dream up increasingly ludicrous methods of overcoming Kyle's problem in the pub over several pints of lager, they are obviously ill-at-ease when they visit the sexual health clinic. At one point Jarvis shouts out "I'm not gay!" to all and sundry, even though he has accompanied Kyle to the hospital. Kyle himself finds it very difficult to talk to the doctor (Val McLane): Cookson's camera focuses on his increasingly troubled countenance as he tries to tell the truth about his sexual past. The film also depicts the fragility of male bonding: the only way in which Kyle, Jarvis and their mates can get on is to make jokes at one another's expense. Being serious is considered 'weak' - especially at the pub. The only time when Kyle can face up to his dilemma is when he has broken free of Jarvis and set out on his own to confront Lydia with what he thinks is the truth about what happened. ALMOST MARRIED ends with a freeze-frame of him leaving Lydia's house and setting out on his own - for the first time, he understands that he does not need his mates' support to survive. Set in an unspecified northern town, ALMOST MARRIED has a strong sense of place, as it contrasts the respectable streets of suburban houses with the seedy bars and brothels where Jarvis and Kyle hang out. It is almost as if they are apprehensive about appearing too 'normal' - i.e. ready to settle down and enjoy married life - in case it infringes on their masculine self-images. McGinley delivers a convincing characterization of Kyle, who tries to sustain a laddish image while trying to reflect on his past and future life. ALMOST MARRIED treads familiar thematic ground, but it does so in a refreshingly unsentimental way.

Almost Married perfectly depicts "young" British culture with its hilarious yet disastrous consequences. Although the protagonist was male, I found myself laughing hysterically and connecting with Kyle as I followed his journey of desperation to uncover the truth related to that fateful night. The young British cast only added to the credibility of the film and their on screen chemistry helped me (and each member of the audience no doubt) relate to the characters and their story. The highlight of this comedy is that it does not push into the absurd - an irritating tactic used in so many other British comedies for a cheap laugh. It refines itself by touching on the darker moments within relationships and the boundaries of trust, whilst still retaining a decent level of humour. Definitely a film I'd highly recommend and I look forward to seeing what else the talented Ben Cookson has up his sleeve!

I downloaded this film on iTunes after seeing it in the top ranking films and I wasn't disappointed. There's a great young British cast who portray characters that I can relate to, we all have a mate like Jarvis or know a Kyle! I watched the film with my girlfriend who also found the film entertaining, the post Indian restaurant scene back at the house got the biggest laughs in our house. The story takes a couple of twists along the way and keeps you poised right until the end. I read a review of the film that said it was filmed in just 3 weeks!! Thats some going. Check the film out for an entertaining story of love, friendship and worry...