User reviews

Great cast but not really suited to the movie format. Would be better on the stage.

Steven Berkoff's social satire about two couples reliving their youth from the 1950's on Brighton beach was written back in 1994 when the play may have had more resonance with an audience as society began to be more tolerant and understanding as we climbed out of a more racist and bigoted era, especially in the East End of London where these characters are from, however it doesn't ring true in 2019 when this film version was made because some of the derogatory language seems too forced, outdated and caricatured. The film also bludgeons the audience over the head with the points it makes in showing the older generation the error of their ways.

Being in my late 50's myself I can understand where this film is coming from and what Berkoff was trying to achieve in exposing racism in UK society, the older generation refusing to accept immigrants living amongst them and the consequences of living in the past. A younger audience will certainly not empathise with these characters as they hark back to their perceived simpler times and mourning the loss of the British Empire.

While I enjoyed the performances from the four leads Larry Lamb, Phil Davies, Marion Baily and Lesley Sharp this comedy drama is not for all tastes and it comes too late to make any real impact as society has moved on a great deal however the older generation will get it. Shame they didn't make more use of Brighton as a location because this could really be set anywhere.

Not all plays do well on the big screen.

It was made 14 years after the modern days setting so even attitudes had changed in that time.

Ok, it's not the best script in the world and Lesley Sharpe's cockney accent is suspect but I suspect many reviewers here don't remember shows like Til Death Do Us Part, Love They Neighbour and Mind Your Language.

This is spreading a similar message.

Times are changing and the safety blanket of the past is being taken away from those brought up in those times.

The film may not have been entirely filmed in Brighton but how many films and shows are actually filmed where they are set?

Most TV shows seem to be filmed in studios in Leeds or Manchester these days.

The film is about changing times and maybe would have been better wet in Eastbourne or god's waiting room as my resident relative there calls it.

For a relatively small place Brighton does receive a lot of film and TV exposure.

As said, the story isn't brilliant but the actors do their characters well.

Perhaps a lot less looking at old impressions and more on the values of the past might have given the main cast greater credit.

Not a film for the woke but a nice bit of nostalgia for those old enough to have experienced the highs and lows in life.

It's far from a 10 but PC brigade giving it a 1 isn't right either.

Could have been much better. A good cast deserved better too.

A waste of talented actors, I'm surprised they agreed to appear in this drivel. Typical stereotypes bad cockney accents & not a good story. It could have been good but the screenplay was badly done, & direction poor to say the least, I presume as it was made in 2019, but realised in 2021, it wasn't good enough for cinema realise. Don't bother to watch it's a waste of an hour & a half of your life!

Just English scum screaming in one setting. Very bad story and if you cannot afford to film in Brighton and must film in Eastbourne, maybe you should call the movie Eastbourne. Such a shame!

Watched half an hour and then had to leave the cinema. A shockingly bad script full of prejudicial and stereotypical drivel (in just half an hour). No actors could rescue such a bad script.

A day trip to the seaside, with fond memories of Brighton years ago. What could possibly go wrong? Answer...Almost everything, as the main characters try in vain to recapture old memories. Beautifully Directed by Stephen Cookson, who also wrote the story, which goes a full circle for one character and ends unexpectedly happily. I enjoyed this film so much, shown as part of the Cheltenham International Film Festival (2021), that I watched it twice. Superb acting by all four leads: Larry Lamb, Lesley Sharp, Marion Bailey and Phil Davis, plus an excellent supporting cast. Well done cast & crew!

First off, why is she speaking like that? Secondly, too much pointless unnecessary swearing. I expected much better, with Larry Lamb and Phil Davis. Very disappointing.

This film is 'NOT' for the PC brigade. Reminded me of my Grandads generation. A touch of Alf Garnet about the film. There's irony later in the film. Give it a chance, I wasn't disappointed.

The lighting, the casting, the acting, the sets, the SCRIPT!!

I think this is possibly the worst film I've ever seen and was horrified to read that Steven Berkoff was the scriptwriter.

Some of the actors in this should have known better than to appear in this film. I was embarrassed watching it and couldn't bear it for more than 5 minutes.

Really shockingly low-budget, amateurish, insulting and poorly directed attempt at filmmaking. CUT!

An infantile script directed with no skill. Cliched, ignorant and distasteful. The gay characters are so one dimensional it's insulting. What were they doing? Awful film.

Why would you title a film Brighton if 99% of it is in Eastbourne. The only shots of Brighton are cut in with no actors. Really weird.

Couldn't get into the plot or characters either.

Clearly designed to hit every tick in the box requiring by woke film buyers and distributors. Even the cast look embarrassed by the story. Well worth a miss......

This is the kind of film that anyone born after 1970 won't understand. Most of a certain age and upwards will understand the pops crackles and aches and pains from old bones, the loss of one's youth thinking you are still young at heart and body, but aren't. The language and racist/sexist language I guess would have a younger generation shocked. The acting is very good by both young and old, the cinematography is very good. There's also small sub plots in the four main characters experience in their younger days at the hands of bullies and personal loss. All in all a good film for those of us getting older and reminiscing of our times as teddy boys and the mayhem.

Dear oh dear,the most pathetic pointless film I've every seen. Trying too force the "new world" upon folk. A all whites are trashed kind of film. Just be who you wanna be,people don't need a film of this type to tell you so. Phil Davies what was you thinking too star in such junk??

With the calibre installed this should have been good, even on a budget.

Pointless script No storyline NOTHING about Brighton, seems was shot in an industrial estate.

Just don't waste any time, simply move on.

Well that's a part of my life I won't get back.

What a pile of absolute rubbish - offensive script, badly written, badly acted. Truly awful.

Can't understand why someone like Leslie Sharpe read the script and thought, I'd love to put my name to that. It's terrible.

Oh and rather than call it Brighton it should be called St Leonards - that's where most of it seems to be filmed - was Brighton too expensive or something.

Not really sure what the point of the film is, who it's for or what anyone would get out of it.

If you've not watched already watch Fritz on Netflix instead - much funnier, better acted.

In 2019's dreadful low-budget Brit drama "Brighton" aging Cockney couples Larry Lamb & Marion Bailey and Phil Davis & Lesley Sharp revisit Brighton (duh) 50yrs after they met there in their youth in the '50s (as shown in flashbacks). Teddy-boys Lamb & side-kick Davis spout embarrassing racist & homophobic bile (and reap the consequences) while Bailey moans about her weight and Sharp revists a past trauma. The performances are abysmal, the set dressings are amateur hour, and the tv-standard direction (by Stephen Cookson (who co-wrote with the Melanie Harris)) is the worst aspect of all. This turd is a proper stinker, and no mistake Guv'nor. Flush it.

Very odd film...I watched it because I like the 4 main characters but it was a quite annoying film to watch ... the awful accent Leslie used was irritating... Larry Lamb was just laughable... the only good thing was the meeting of the 2 ladies on the pier at the end.