As with American comedies, it seems the British can only attempt three types - the twee family film, the ever-similar rom-com, and the crude, rude, lewd toilet humour. This film fixes itself quite happily in the latter camp.
The story of a council estate 20-something taking the peaceful world of lawn bowls by storm in a manner usually reserved for drunken football hooligans has a whiff of Kingpin about it, not least in the jazzed-up final match (complete with neon lights, mascots and baying crowds). Like all sports movies, the film adds a romantic sub-plot, the value of friendship, a rags-to-riches-isn't-always-good theme and, of course, redemption through sportsmanship and teamwork. Like all crude comedies, this film tries to get laughs via jokes based on sex, bodily functions and swearing.
When it is most successful, this film is not concentrating on our protagonist Cliff Starkey, but on the elderly gents who find their pastime shaken up by this upstart. Whenever Cliff himself appears on screen, the next F-word isn't far behind and you know that we'll just get a series of bargain-basement gags.
The glitzy finale manages to garner a few laughs in their presentation of what is widely considered to be a dull game as a massive national event, but even here we find nothing new - the computerised statistics, the rule-changing Thunderbowl option and the half-time cheerleaders are typical examples.
You have seen this film many times before. Only this time it is packaged slightly differently. If you've seen the trailer or read the plot outline: yes, the film is exactly as you expect it to be.
The story of a council estate 20-something taking the peaceful world of lawn bowls by storm in a manner usually reserved for drunken football hooligans has a whiff of Kingpin about it, not least in the jazzed-up final match (complete with neon lights, mascots and baying crowds). Like all sports movies, the film adds a romantic sub-plot, the value of friendship, a rags-to-riches-isn't-always-good theme and, of course, redemption through sportsmanship and teamwork. Like all crude comedies, this film tries to get laughs via jokes based on sex, bodily functions and swearing.
When it is most successful, this film is not concentrating on our protagonist Cliff Starkey, but on the elderly gents who find their pastime shaken up by this upstart. Whenever Cliff himself appears on screen, the next F-word isn't far behind and you know that we'll just get a series of bargain-basement gags.
The glitzy finale manages to garner a few laughs in their presentation of what is widely considered to be a dull game as a massive national event, but even here we find nothing new - the computerised statistics, the rule-changing Thunderbowl option and the half-time cheerleaders are typical examples.
You have seen this film many times before. Only this time it is packaged slightly differently. If you've seen the trailer or read the plot outline: yes, the film is exactly as you expect it to be.