Why you can trust 12DOVE
There’s more than a whiff of Cemetery Junction about Shimmy Marcus’ modest Britpic, a coming-of-ager that doubles as a salute to the Northern Soul movement of the 1970s.
Martin Compston is Joe, a restless delivery boy who is seduced by both the cool sounds of Wigan Casino’s legendary soul nights and the charms of resident minx Jane Rogers (Nichola Burley).
To win her, he’ll need to best her thug of a boyfriend Alan (Craig Parkinson).
Marcus gets the retro look just right, while the score is predictably fab, but sadly it all amounts to not very much.
Neil Smith is a freelance film critic who has written for several publications, including Total Film. His bylines can be found at the BBC, Film 4 Independent, Uncut Magazine, SFX, Heat Magazine, Popcorn, and more.