Rated: M
Directed by: Chris Foggin
Written by: Piers Ashworth, Meg Leonard, Nick Moorcroft
Produced by: Meg Leonard, Nick Moorcroft, James Spring
Music by: Rupert Christie
Cinematography by: Simon Tindall
Starring: Daniel Mays, James Purefoy, David Hayman, Dave Johns, Sam Swainsbury, Tuppence Middleton and Joel Clarke.
‘Never under any circumstances say, “Rabbit”.’
Revelling in Port Isaac for Henry’s (Christian Brassington) stag weekend, the London boys, Danny (Daniel Mays), Driss (Vahid Gold) and music exec and boss, Troy (Noel Clarke) are ready for some larger and yachting. Until they end up stranded at sea and getting ‘quite burnt’.
It’s up to the local Search And Rescue to fish to them to safety. Ironic being the crew are the local fishermen.
It’s like two different worlds collide: the city boys who own country estates and work for a record label and fishermen who risk their lives every day and sing sea shanties.
When the London boys come across their rescuers singing in the town square, boss Troy thinks it’ll be hilarious tasking Danny with signing the group to their label. Only for Danny to see more than just crusty fishermen signing, he hears history in their voices.
‘What’s that song?’ Danny asks Alwyn (Tuppence Middleton), the daughter of man-of-few-words, the words never wrong, Jim (James Purefoy) – ‘That’s the rock’n’roll of 1752.’
Based on a true story, Fisherman’s Friends is about the discovery of these ten men, and the journey from singing to raise money for the village Lifeboat Association to a million pound record deal with Universal Music, a top-ten album and playing the Pyramid stage at the world famous Glastonbury Festival.
But there’s more to these crusty sailors than a fine set of pipes. There’s the history, the proud Cornwell folk defining those on this side of the river Tamar, and them on the other side – like the emmets (the Cornish word for ants): those who come across and are a pain to get rid of.
There’s some PG humour that doesn’t get too carried away, to keep the boat floating along the storyline – see what I did there? Yep, that’s me getting carried away with the nautical theme because I enjoyed the ride, damn it.
The film reminded me of the songs we’d sing in primary school (What Shall We Do With A Drunken Sailor included) and dancing to folk music with kids from other local schools. And the gymkhana with the bag pipes and dog jumping competition.
It reminded me about community and generations of families buried in the same cemetery and knowing a place. Really knowing a place and people knowing you.
So rather than the underdogs winning and signing to that record label, there’s thought to place and where we stand in it and being able to take a man by his own merit. Including Jago (David Hayman), Port Isaac’s number one bingo caller. Bless him.
So yeah, I got a little swept away in the story.
And the guys did a good with the singing, no ‘taking the piss’ required.