Greatest Days

I don't know why as I'm not even particularly a Take That fan, but I actually had high hopes for this film. I wasn't expecting it to reach the heights of Mama Mia!, but I thought it might be at least in the same league. Unfortunately it's just painfully derivative and formulaic, with songs being butchered left right and centre.

The characters are all pretty uninteresting and the acting leaves a lot to be desired. The action is split across two time periods and I will say the younger actors killed it, which is why I'm giving the film at least some stars. It should have put far more focus here.

The story is far too formulaic. Everything that happens is predictable and isn't overly interesting either. The film also just lacked any sort of middle to it. There was far too much set up and barely any plot in the middle or end of the whole thing.

When the film does go for it and embraces its campness and ludicrousness there are glimpses of what it could have been, but it just tries to be too earnest and emotional. None of this stuff lands, which just bogs the whole thing down.

I'm sure there's an audience out there and this film will appeal to many, but it didn't hit the spot for me.

Although not particularly Take That fans - I recognise they've got some great tunes. I also recognised that this was a low budget film and not likely in any way to scale the heights of day Mama Mia.

But it didn't shine on any level and certainly didn't have any magic. I was praying got it to end.

I really wanted to like it - but It's formulaic, derivative, predictable, poorly scripted and cringeworthy in parts. The main characters supply us with the obligatory one lesbian, one with weight issues, two mixed race, a crossdresser with beard - then kids with cancer.

The songs are great, there are some excellent dance scenes, lots,of the camp was enjoyable. The best bit by far was seeing Gary, Mark and Jason busking in a tube train - looking down at heel, very amusing. Well done them.

However it didn't relight my fire,

Greatest days is THE OFFICIAL!!! Take That musical as it says in bold at the top of the poster. It's official and yet they couldn't get the rights to use the bands official name in the film instead they are referred to as the boys (Amazon trying to use this film to sell a certain tv show maybe? ) . Whilst it maybe doesn't sound like the biggest deal in the world it does make the film feel in a word cheap and that's how I'd described this film in general if I had to sum it up in one word. Produced by Amazon studios greatest days tells the story of Rachel (Aisling Bea) who is 'the boys' biggest fan (self proclaimed). After winning a radio competition for her and four friends to see 'the boys' perform live in Athens on their reunion tour, she must now decide who to take with her. Que lengthy flashback to the 90's when conveniently 'the boys' were at the height of their fame and teenage Rachel and her 5 best friends (also massive fans of the boys) get the chance to see their favourite boys live for the first time. I'm sure you've already worked it out by now but the film is about re-kindling your teenage years, getting back together with old friends and re living the good times all alongside the music of 'the boys'.

The story itself is actually quite enjoyable however it is low budget and this means it misses that wow factor you get from the better jukebox movie musicals like my personal favourite Rocketman or Bohemian Rhapsody. There aren't any real stand out moments and while I've focused on the budget I think the other bigger and less talked about issue is, are Take That a big enough band with iconic enough songs that warrant a movie musical? This will of course depend on your personal musical preferences however I don't personally think so. Whilst I think most people would recognise a few of their songs they're simply nowhere near as big as Elton John or Queen and this adds to that lack of memorable moments. Overall the cast do a good job and they try and cram all your favourite 'the boys' tracks in at one moment or another all performed by some interesting interpretations of younger members of the band, I mean squint and maybe they're passable impressions.

It's watchable but there isn't enough here to keep you coming back for good.

Greatest Days is a new music, drama, comedy directed by Coky Giedroyc. She has further directed more various TV series episodes and miniseries and TV movies.

Five friends used to have the best night of their lives when they went to the concert of their favorite boy band together. Over the years, however, the five have lost contact with each other, so that their mutual bond has become less.

When one of them wins tickets to the reunion concert of their former favorite Boyband, she tries to get the five back together to relive the best moment of their past with this concert.

The people behind this film tried to get production from a large film studio for this film, so that they could then also cast well-known actors. Unfortunately, none of the major film studios showed interest in the project. For example, the people behind this film project had to manage the financial affairs more themselves, which meant that they had to simplify some things and drop other ideas. The Boyband Take That, for example, where it is about in the film, and the band members are not mentioned by name, to save costs and legal problems.

Still, the film may seem familiar to fans of Take That or other bands or singers. The film responds so well to how Boyband or other artist groups used to and still manage to attract fans with their music and styles. Fans of past or modern artist groups can relate to how the movie characters behave because of their fandom they have with the particular Boyband in the movie.

Thanks to the lower budget, the cast members of this film are also more TV actors, but fortunately they still come across as friends and fans of the same Boyband. The film only starts more in the past, where the characters were still young. If they suddenly make a time jump later in the film after the now, where the same characters are suddenly older, it can take some getting used to because of how the characters have changed.

It had its moments and the highlight was probably I WANT YOU BACK it was the moment when the song and story came together .

There have been some amazing musicals

There have been some amazing jukebox movies

The highlight and the benchmark is undoubtedly MAMMA MIA anything else that doesn't come close in its story and adaptation is a let down

If you want a bio pic with music you cannot beat BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY and Rocket man failed in its attempt to merge the two together I wonder if there will be a film if 'we will rock you' ?

Geoff was a highlight he brought comedy to the script

Sadly this failed to take off on any level it's not a film you think I want to see that again and tell everyone to see if - it just failed to do what musicals do - it failed yo uplift - the ingredients were there they just weren't applied in the right quantities

Towards the final 10 minutes it upped a notch or or two but overall it just wasn't good enough

Disappointing

Pad. A 5/10.