By Joanne Sargent
Special to the Observer
Hugh Jackman’s take on our next movie, A Bunch of Amateurs: “It’s one of the most delightful, heartwarming and hilarious documentaries I’ve ever seen.”
The movie is about Britain’s oldest amateur filmmaking club, the Bradford Movie Makers, who’ve been meeting every Monday since 1932. A once-thriving community, in 2019, when our film begins, there’s just a handful of members left, struggling to keep the doors open. They’ve not paid rent in five years, their building is crumbling around them, and there’s a dwindling number of new members. Despite their bickering about everything, they cling to their dreams and each other.
The group splits their time between watching films, and making their own ultra-low budget works, loveably mediocre projects. They have no delusions about their skill as storytellers; for the members it’s the importance of the group to their lives, the connection and sense of purpose, which is paramount. A Bunch of Amateurs tells very human stories of one colourful character after another, focused on the looming threat of extinction their group faces.
With nothing left to lose, they tackle one of Hollywood’s greatest musicals in order to save their club, but will the pandemic deliver the final crippling blow?
A Bunch of Amateurs is a story of surviving against all odds. It’s inspiring, emotional and constantly interesting, with some hearty laughs.
It shows at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 1 at the Classic.
Read more: Review: ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ puts the funny in fantasy
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