S3E2 • The Commitments

Episode transcripts are imperfect due to the overlapping of speakers, however, we do our best to ensure speaking points are not lost. Thank you for your understanding and we apologize in advance for the tangents…

I can’t get canceled by Catholicism. I’m a woman. I have no voice. Therefore, I can’t blaspheme. Muahaha. Also, I’m responsible for all evil, because, you know, Eve, damn it. Anyway, where was I?

Oh, yeah, I see what you did there.

Greetings and or salutations and welcome to Imbibe Cinema. The Imbibe Cinema Podcast is brought to you by the Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival, otherwise known as BWiFF. We seek independent character-driven films of all length, styles and genres. To learn more, visit bwiff.com.

I’m Jonathan C. Legat, along here with my co-hosts, Michael Noens and Tricia Legat. And our special introduction guest, Mary Shields.

You said introduction guest? What does an introduction, is it introducing-

You’re an introduction guest.

No, like I’m- I’m introducing a special guest? Special guest? Did I not say introducing our special guest?

No, you said introducing guest. And I’m wondering if that’s because she’s the first guest of our next season.

There you go.

I’m not that special.

Stop it. Just leave now.

Introducing our subpar guest…

Watch, I’m telling you, Mary, you’re going to out podcast us on our own podcast. In this episode, we are going to be discussing the Irish independent film, The Commitments, which you can be, which can be found on Redbox.

While we are doing this podcast, we are drinking a cocktail called The Irish Whiskey Ginger. The recipe as well as pictures are available on the website, imbibecinema.com.

And as you can tell, it is an effective cocktail.

Yes.

Thank you, Jon.

Mine, as Michael lovingly pointed out, we don’t start the podcast until my first class is empty.

And we chose a fancy whiskey because I wanted to be fancy. So we’ve never had this whiskey before. I don’t think it calls for this specific whiskey.

No, it does not.

But it’s called Dublin Ink. And because the film takes place in Dublin, I thought, why not?

Yeah, that’s fair.

Shout out to Binny’s. Hopefully they’ll give us free.

Yes. Free liquor or just five dollars off.

Really?

Let’s be honest.

Discount.

And then, Mary, this is your first time with whiskey in general.

Yes, it is. And it’s great. Slainte.

It is. Slainte, indeed. I would totally drink cheers and drink more. But unfortunately…

So, just wait for the ice to melt and yeah, and lick it.

Don’t worry. We’ll have a break. You’ll get another drink. Calm down.

Fancy ginger ale, too.

Yes, it said premium ginger ale. So I got premium ginger ale.

Is that like top shelf ginger ale?

Top shelf ginger ale. I like the top shelf ginger ale. It was on the top shelf. And it’s teeny tiny. So to me, that always speaks is more expensive and fancy because when you get fancy food, it’s always teeny tiny and a giant plate.

A French restaurant.

Yeah. That’s fair. All right. So, Mary, you are Tricia’s coffee buddy. And through numerous coffee imbibing, if you will, this particular topic came up as The Commitments.

Yes, it did.

And so this was your nod and your throw into the ring. So what is it about The Commitments that immediately grabbed you and that brought you in and made you go, this is an independent film that needs to be discussed on a podcast?

I just think it is a fantastic movie. And it was one of the first movies that I saw where afterwards I wanted the soundtrack. And I don’t think that was always a thing. But for this movie, for sure it was. And I remember when I saw it, there were some cool kids in my school. They were forming a band called the “Running with Scissors Band.”

Yeah.

Okay.

And that just seemed like, I just thought that was the coolest thing. And I immediately fell for Jimmy. You know, just that sort of everything about him and forming a band and belonging, that was, it just really spoke to me.

Well, the movie came out, what year? 91? And when did you see the movie?

Like shortly after it came out?

No. You know, my mom, who was always kind of in the know of things, saw, I think she saw the cast like interviewed on the Today Show or something, or I don’t know, but she said, you guys, we got to watch this movie. So we rented it and she brought it home.

Isn’t that great?

Way to go, Mom.

Yeah. And then she bought us the cassette.

Okay. So she made your dream come true then.

This is a formative years film.

Yes.

Very much so. So I have her to thank. And you to thank for taking a chance on this movie because it’s really not, it could be a cult classic, but it’s really not.

Well, no, they say on Wikipedia, they say it is.

Oh, do they?

Oh, well, they say it has gotten a lot of and maybe more in Ireland than anywhere else.

But no, because I will say that that, you know, after watching it or starting watching it, should I say for this particular podcast, it occurred to me that I had seen this before. My brother, who went to University of Southern California for cinema arts studies, came home from college. He was like, you need to watch this movie and had rented it himself.

He’s a huge music person.

He is also a huge music person.

He is the Jimmy of the family.

Yes. Yes. So, I mean, this is not my first foray into The Commitments and I agree that even watching it back then, the absolute music is fantastic. It immediately makes you want to like toe tap and enjoy. And they do such a great job of performing it.

They do.

All right, now I have to also ask because I’m about to throw a Scrabble word down here that Tricia had made fun of me for earlier. But she had also mentioned during all these coffee talks that she’d start mentioning a film that we were doing in the podcast and you’re like, oh, the composer for that and you know.

Oh, yeah, she “out-movied” me. You “out-movied” me.

So I have to ask, you seem to be a cinephile. And that was the Scrabble word.

He just likes using the word phile because he thinks it’s funny, like “Disneyphile.”

A cinephile? Well, I will state, somebody who knows the composer for, you know, like The Mission.

But The Mission referenced in The Holiday.

Correct. Yes. Which we also did a podcast on.

But I’ve also seen The Mission, which is another great movie.

Yes.

It’s a different feel.

Oh, it’s a little drastically different feel than this.

Yeah.

But so, you know, what, what, you know, you seem to be an avid movie lover.

I, yes, I’m an avid music lover. Okay. And I, yes, my dad in particular could sing any song, any, any genre.

And I grew up listening to, you know, everything. Sam Cooke, The Doors, Chicago. I mean, just everywhere, all over the place.

And so I think that’s what draws me in. Okay. I do.

Yeah. That’s wonderful. Yeah.

See, so now you’re a resource that we are going to abuse. We’ll be like, Mary, we’re going to call Mary. You need to know about the music because, and only when Michael doesn’t know, because Michael doesn’t know most music.

And he will, he will listen to just…

Yeah, I listen to scores all the time. All six discs in my CD changer in the car. Yes, I have a CD changer still in the car.

Yeah.

So vintage. And I just realized they’re all from the 90s. Like just the other day.

I was like, wow, that’s pretty fun.

And now we bring it back to The Commitments.

It’s just one of the many tannins. Yeah, it’s about the same. That our podcast brings.

Yeah.

But I feel like we should introduce The Commitments the way Jimmy does, where he says, oh, yeah, the Saviors of Soul, the hardest working band in the world. Yes. Yes.

Yes. The Commitments.

Yes. Yes.

Now, you said, OK, so Jimmy likes to pretend that he’s having an interview, that he’s being interviewed by somebody. Terry in the bathroom or what?

Terry.

Yes. And you had said and we had just watched, we talked about this. I don’t know if Michael started recording.

But was it the is it the the Dairy Girls? So they reference that. So that’s on Netflix and they reference.

So it is a cult classic because there is a reference to it. Or maybe just people in Ireland love to give interviews in the bathroom. I don’t know.

Well, Dairy Girls takes place in Northern Ireland in the 90s. I believe. So I think it’s not too far away from where those girls grew up.

And yes, Erin in one of the opening scenes, she’s in her bathtub just like Jimmy and she’s pretending to be interviewed.

I used to do that when I was a kid. But I had to be in the mirror.

So with the hairbrush. She’s so proud of you, which I love. Like, what are you doing in there?

I’m being interviewed. Like, leave me alone.

See where I would be.

I’m just like Jimmy.

Nothing. I have no aspirations whatsoever. I’m doing nothing.

Shut up. Leave me alone. Where he’s all like, no, I’m being interviewed.

And they’re like, Jimmy.

Yeah.

“And I love the way that it’s edited together, where at times, you know, like you’re seeing him interviewing himself. But there are points where I actually started to think, wait, is somebody else finally interviewing him? No, it’s himself interviewing himself still, because we’re like hanging on one scene before we move in to seeing him interviewing himself.

It’s, yeah, I really enjoyed that throughout the whole thing.

But that level of confidence, he is so confident about music in general, what’s good, what’s bad, and he never wavers. And then when he’s talking up the band to anyone, he is so good about talking up the band. And you’re like, God, that’s what most of us are missing, is that PR guy that’s like, no, they’re the better ones.

And then it doesn’t, like, they’d self-destruct anyway.

Well, yeah, no, it was so self-evident, what you’re saying, like, in that scene where the news or the music reporter is there, and I think Outspan is standing there, and when’s your next gig, Jimmy? You know, and Outspan’s like, well, we haven’t, we don’t schedule gigs, we just go where the people need it. I mean, Jimmy was like a spin artist there.

Like, he just was able to. I mean, it was phenomenal.

I want him to be like in your life and be your wingman.

Yeah, just everybody knows him. They’re like, hey, Jimmy, like, what’s up, Jimmy? He knows where to get the black market shit.

Like, he knows, he knows, you know?

Yeah, he manages to, there’s a reason he doesn’t do anything in the band is because he is constantly the thing that is around and making sure that they are continuing. And it is, it’s a shame because, I mean, even they approach him saying like, we need you to run this because you’re, you know, you’re, you’re the guy, Jimmy. And it’s just sad.

And, and, and, and, and, and we’re not married to it.

No. Do you think we should, do you think we should drop the, here’s like capitalize the middle one.

Yeah.

Well, was there something also about like seeing it on a poster or something like the way it was laid out?

Yeah.

Trying to sell it?

Getting rid of the whole thing.

No, no, no, no. But he’s very specific. It has to be the something because all the great bands in the sixties were the something.

Yes. How do you spell it? T-H-E.

Yep.

Yep. That’s a good one.

And then his father is all like, if you need somebody. And the actor that plays his father immediately recognized the music character actor. You’ve seen him in tons of things.

One of the Star Treks.

Colm Meaney.

I don’t know which of the Star Treks was it?

He was in, well, I think he was on…

He was the Irish.

Definitely on Deep Space Nine, I thought.

He was the Irish engineer versus the Scottish engineer.

Yes.

But he sings a whole bit in the beginning where he sings Elvis.

Well, can we just take a minute to talk about the epic montage scene that is the auditions?

Yes.

Can we please talk about it?

Because when you think it’s over, it’s not over. It keeps giving. Which really is awesome.

It’s another shout out, I think, for the editing. It’s really well-crafted.

That is, yes.

Which is awesome because the editing was nominated, I believe, for an Oscar that year. Okay. And the fact that it doesn’t, like, there’s a lot of tropes or formulas for a story about a band, right?

Coming up. And this kind of, you think it’s going to go a certain way, and then it surprises you. Like, the audition process is not like what you think it’s going to be.

Right.

And then the ending isn’t what you think it’s going to be. No. So, I love that it takes, it feels more real.

And I did like that the, as you go through the, there are some really bad auditions, and then there are actually some really good auditions that are just not at all what he wants, what he’s looking for. So it kind of felt really real in that process.

And his family is so supportive.

Yes.

He sees people to show up at the door all the time.

But then how does he find each and every character? Because they all get introduced in their own unique, amazing way.

Well, the first two were part of And, And, And.

Yes.

The wedding band.

Derek and Outspan.

Yes.

Interesting name.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That’s an interesting name.

Derek and Outspan. Yeah. And then Dean comes next, the saxophone, Dean the Nipple.

Oh, yeah.

And Dean doesn’t, Dean turn, Dean turns in like, he starts, they get him on a diet of soul, because they all have to be on a diet of soul. Right. And he gets, it’s like this, he loses his virginity with the saxophone.

Yes. Well, that’s because the lips tells him how.

Right. But not in a like sexual way, not in an American pie way, but like he gets taught how to use the saxophone and by thinking of it in a sexual manner. And he becomes this really great saxophone player from this shy guy that turns into all of a sudden, like, you know, he’s into jazz and he’s got his own thing.

And they’re like, this is not that, shut up, stop it.

Stop doing that jazz.

Yeah, but he’s always sporting the bolo tie.

Yes.

I love the bolo tie and the mullet. He’s committed to both of those. Yeah.

Yeah, but he’s like, gonna improvise now. And they’re like, no, that’s jazz, stop it.

And then the lead singer, is that later? Cause I know we meet him and then we come back, right?

At the wedding again. At the wedding. He sees him at the wedding, Deco.

And he’s… Declan. Yeah.

But he’s Deco. He’s just a prick from the start. And you just get foreshadowing of that.

He just systematically just kind of pisses off every other member of the band.

And we all know that person. We’ve all worked with that person. And I find it very interesting that as talented as he is, and they all accept that he’s very talented, that…

And it’s not easy. Like they show how like how many songs you have to sing and how often like you have to sing and all that work for your voice. And yet like nobody is ever fooled or seduced by his talent.

Everybody in the band doesn’t like him. Nobody has ever liked him.

Well, you mentioned how he says he wants to put the band on a diet of soul. And I wrote this down because I thought it was great. Do you remember what he says?

No, I do remember it’s on the train.

It’s on the train. He says James Brown for the growls, Otis Redding for the moans, Smokey Robinson for the wines and Aretha for the whole lot put together. I thought that was a great line.

Well, and he talks about how music, there’s so many different kinds of music, but soul music takes you to a higher level. That it can sound like it’s a simple story or a simple idea, but it is so profound that it moves you so intensely. And then how they’re all confused by James Brown.

He got hurt. Is he gonna come back up? Oh, are they walking him off stage?

It’s part of the show.

No, it’s part of the show.

No, I think they also specifically referenced that it is the working man’s music. And that is why it is necessary in Dublin at that time.

And that Northern Dublin specifically is that area. And you see it in the background. You see the way the buildings are, how many dogs and children are running wild.

Like the burned out car.

Yes, yes.

And you realize, okay, yeah. And then they have, not to be stereotypical, they have a lot of children. And then they have the twins, and they’re kind of creepy because they talk at the same time.

At the same time, all the time. Yeah.

It’s funny, they have Elvis’s picture above the Pope’s. Right, yes. Did you notice that?

Elvis is God.

Yes, Elvis and the father is very passionate about Elvis. You don’t disrespect Elvis in his house at all. But yeah, I love that.

On the wall, there’s like, is it the Pope or is it Jesus? And then Elvis.

It could be. I think it was the Pope. But and then Joey, that character, Joey, the Lips Fagin, he’s sort of weirdly religious.

There’s a weird sort of spiritual, it’s like a Buddhist vibe, right?

The line that he says, like, that was one that like jumped out right away.

God sent me.

Yeah, the Lord sent me.

The Lord blows my trumpet. Yeah.

See, where that only takes.

He’s like, actually, the priest down in this area, like, he told me that you were looking, but then that means God sent me.

Yes. Doesn’t the dad say something funny like, what did Evil Knievel want?

Yes.

He says, the motorcycle. God sent him, and then the dad says, on a effing Suzuki?

Yeah. Yeah. His character, for some odd reason, and this is going to be a weird segue, so follow me for a second, but reminds me of the Irishman from Braveheart.

Okay.

In the sense that he has that whole line where they’re about to go into battle, and he goes, the Lord tells me, the Lord sent me, but he tells me I’m going to be all right. The two of you though, he’s pretty sure you’re a fact.

Yeah, strange pep talk too.

Yeah, I know, right? But all right, so let’s trip back to the music here, because the soul was the soul of this film as well. I mean, the band’s ability to play the music, to really bring the emphasis of this for a bunch of white kids from Dublin, is amazing because they do crush it.

After the montage of them tripping all over themselves. But, you know, I mean, it is amazing watching them watch and bring it to life.

Well, and that’s another montage sequence, right? Is them learning how to be a band together and how to work together. And in an interesting atmosphere, because I think they’re like above a bar.

And it’s some place that the owner is out of town.

Yes, it’s a snooker, a snooker, snooker, snooker.

Easy for you to say.

No, it is. That’s what they call it. I mean, it’s billiards, but they call it snooker.

No, but I’m glad you brought that up because that is a great montage. And that’s where they start developing the characters, right? Because they show each character.

Billy’s like drumming while he’s on his blacksmith job. Derek’s in the meat packing. You know, he’s with the guitar.

Yeah, they’re all bringing it to work.

Correct. And so you can kind of get a glimpse of each character that way.

Right. And they’re like life outside of the music.

Yes.

But then also to this, you see the interesting relationship the men folk have to the women because there are the commitmentets, the three of them. And these girls, it’s interesting how they interact with each other and how they interact with members of the band and how everybody ends up with Jimmy. Not Jimmy, sorry.

Everybody secretly has a crush on Jimmy. Some more than others.

Joey the Lips.

Yeah, Joey the Lips. The Lips is like he sleeps with everyone.

But you know, Jimmy, that was a real shrewd move to get those girls, you know, to get those girls. They could sing, but it was also the easiest sex appeal. They were easy on the eyes, yeah.

That was, again, showing how brilliant of a manager he really was, you know?

Yes. Joey the Lips is like much older than everyone else.

He helps Jimmy quite a bit, I think. He really does give him guidance.

Yeah. He’s even like the mentor character.

When Jimmy like loses it on him, he’s still super calm and he’s a prophet throughout the entire series.

He can see the big picture, right? Because he’s been a member of supposedly, he’s been a member of his other band, so he can see what it’s supposed to be.

Right. They even reference like the Beatles. There’s a trumpet in one song, and I can’t think of it off the top of my head all of a sudden, which is really sad.

But it’s a very famous trumpet. They’re like, oh no, that was Joey. And then also, he references he played with BB King as well as like-

Is it Miles Davis?

Miles Davis, yeah.

I mean, yeah, he’s played with all the greats, which is why-

Right. And then who’s the famous person that comes to town?

Wilson Pickett.

Yep. Yeah.

Who actually did the music for the film.

It’s funny.

Why are we laughing? What do I not understand?

Because it’s so meta.

It is the meta of it, though.

Yeah. Because you don’t see him.

Yeah, you get yourself written into your own.

Right. It’s a little pet on the shoulder there. But at the same time, you don’t see him ever.

He’s talked about. When his limo shows up, the driver talks to him, but you don’t ever see him.

Correct.

Do you think Joey really talks to Wilson Pickett when he goes into that hotel?

That’s one of those mysteries where you’re like, I don’t know.

I know.

But then the guy shows up. I mean, he’s late, but then that’s very musician-esque. That’s right.

So the fact that he actually showed up, it’s like, was it because everybody told him? Was it because of?

The advertisements, because he did pre-advertise that Wilson Pickett would be there. Right.

Well, and Jimmy, again, in his brilliant managerial role, he reached out to all of those different newspapers, media outlets and got the story going.

So you figure they would go to Pickett’s people and be like, are you going to? And so he might have gotten curious on his own. But then you think, OK, well, maybe Joey’s really real.

But then at the end, his mom, which we’ve discussed is very-

Gray Gardens.

Yes.

Meats.

What was it? Very baby.

Baby Jane.

Baby Jane, yeah. Just a little, just there’s not ever been, she’s not all there. She’s a nice lady, but something’s missing.

Yeah. She says at the end that he’s touring with somebody that’s been dead for years.

Yes.

So you’re like, so wait.

It leaves you wondering.

Yeah, for sure.

Hold on a few more moments while we pour some more to imbibe after this. I don’t know.

That was like a puzzle of.

All the words jumbled. We’re going to take a few moments to fill our glasses, so get ready to imbibe more after this.

---

– Episode Break –

---

You are listening to the Imbibe Cinema. I’m Jonathan C. Legat.

I am here along with Michael Noens, Tricia Legat, and special guest Mary Shields. Is this your favorite episode so far? Want to hear more?

Please subscribe or follow us on all of your favorite podcast providers to get the new episodes as soon as we release them. Rate and or leave us a review to help the show reach a larger audience. You can also follow Imbibe Cinema on Facebook.

Not the Twitters.

Not the Twitters.

You know what Jimmy would say? It’s like, we appear when we want to appear. Yeah, correct.

Where the podcast is called to be in that moment.

When somebody needs to hear our podcast, that’s where we will be.

There you go. Let’s stick with that.

Yeah. I think there’s a, in terms of the movie, I feel like there’s a clear delineation of where you can start seeing things go bad for The Commitments. Would you all agree with that?

So, like the beginning of the end. And I don’t know what all you think is that point or what do you think that point is for you.

I do think there’s like, if you have to separate certain things, compartmentalize. And Jimmy does so, like he treats the band like they are the band. And it’s not personal, it’s professional.

Where Joey is all like, I feel the music and God and everything and I’m very spiritual, but I’m also going to sleep with everybody. And that’s part of one of the destructive forces is he didn’t keep it professional.

Right. I mean, I made a note, is collaborating with Joey a good thing or a bad thing? You know, I felt like it could have been both.

Is he that guy in every band that he’s in?

Well, that’s maybe why he’s gone through so many.

Correct.

I was going to say Joey. I feel like Joey was-

100%.

I can’t pinpoint the exact moment, so I was just going to go with the moment that Joey is in the band is probably where things start going down.

But if it wasn’t for Joey, it would have been Deco. Deco would have- he’s a time bomb going up because his ego is getting bigger and bigger.

Correct.

Yep.

Or it’s Jazz Guy, which I’m thinking of.

Well, the foreshadowing was with the first drummer leaving because of Deco. So already you have this like, you know. And then I feel like when Deco talks to the piano player about his offer or whatever, and that just starts this cascade of chaos.

Yeah. You remember that part? Right.

Yeah. And yes, I have the jazz haircut is also a problematic point.

And I think it’s like just when they’re about to take it up to the next level.

Yes.

Just when they’re about to get recognized and get that, that’s when they all start to like, it starts to fall apart.

And that’s what’s so tragic.

But it’s so common. And you would think, there’s so many people who end up like just that close to they could have gone on to have this great career. And they’ve got the talent.

They’re so talented. And it all just, it’s like so many people get there. I’m sorry, I interrupted.

Go ahead, Mike.

No, actually I was interrupting you. Apologies.

Yeah, it’s fine.

Moo.

Interrupting cow. Yep. Oh, okay.

Thank you for following me on that one.

I’m like, moo, vo, butter. That’s what my brain does.

That is… But yes, I 100% agree that it is Joey specifically sleeping, not necessarily with the first of The Commitmentettes, but I think specifically once he sleeps with the second, that it really, because Joey’s nature shows itself for what it is, and while he is, I think, one of the driving forces as to why they are rising so quickly, you know, he is very good at what he does, but he has also done this before. He’s been with professional bands, supposedly.

And so, you know, it’s his nature, unfortunately, that I think, I mean, it’s really all of them, but that is the quintessential moment. Quintessential? Quintessential?

There we go.

And then, of course, the girls all take it out on each other, and not the man who did it. Doesn’t make any sense.

Nope. And Joey himself is just this sort of picture of what life is like once you’ve had your fame and it’s gone, right? Yeah.

Like a has been, just use like an overused term, but he’s kind of a…

Right.

He’s over the hill.

Yeah.

And he’s also not the lead of anything. Being a trumpet, he is the backup. So that’s why he can go from band to band and never be noticed and never be known, because he’s not the lead singer.

He’s not the lead guitarist. He’s not the person who gets noticed all the time.

But also he seems like that surfer, that old surfer dude who’s like, I’m searching for the next wave. Yeah. That kind of deal.

Yeah.

When they play that last gig, when they’re waiting for Wilson Pickett and he doesn’t show, I just feel that is just so sad. They go backstage and they’re just like the absolute worst versions of themselves backstage. You get a glimpse during that gig of what they could have been because they were really rocking that gig.

They were doing really well and then it just all falls apart.

It’s sad. Yeah. But I do love that Jimmy, you still see like Jimmy’s not, he’ll be fine.

Because he would be the one character that I’d be worried about. He had all his confidence and you feel like, oh no.

Well, they do the 80s credit montage.

Where are they now?

Yes.

And then again, because of the fact that the band broke up, he can date. I mean, he ends up getting married?

I think they imply that he has a relationship with Natalie. I don’t know. I don’t like that part of the movie because it’s like they all just go about their lives and…

But in a way, I guess that shows that Jimmy did succeed, right? Because he wanted soul, like you said earlier, lifts you up to a higher place. It shows you what things could be.

And Jimmy gave them all that opportunity, you know? And they all had it, at least once.

Right. And because like we have this idea that that kind of thing is only meaningful if it’s sustainable, right? Only if you’re famous, only if you make so much money and you can do that for so long, is it worth anything?

When if you have that great moment, then you can say, well, I did that.

Yes.

And because I did that, look what else I can do. What other doors will open? Because I had this moment and it shouldn’t be something that you’re like, well, it only means something because no, they all got to have that great moment where they came together and they did this beautiful thing.

And yes, it exploded, but hopefully they’ve learned something.

That’s even wrapped up in that moment with Joey, right? Where he says, that’s not what this is about.

Oh, he says, this is a great quote, and I’m so glad you brought it up and I wrote this down. He says, the success of the band was irrelevant. You raised their expectations of life, you lifted their horizons.

Sure, we could have been famous, but that would have been predictable. This way, it’s poetry. Thank you for bringing that up, Michael.

That was beautiful. Absolutely the best.

Yeah.

“It was.

No, it’s very Ted Lasso, not there to win. No, but seriously, anything that can improve humanity is always a good thing.

And then he quotes that song, We Skip the Light Fandango, da da da da da da. Yeah. And then he says, what does that mean?

And he says, fuck if I know Terry.

And yes, he’ll be all right. You can tell Jimmy’s going to be okay.

He’s still giving interviews.

He’s still giving interviews.

It’s going to be fine. Well, I mean, technically all of them are fine as long as you take them out of the context of the rest of The Commitments.

I think there’s something about that that we could take with us, that instead of listening to certain kinds of music that is not like, all right, I’m taking you away from the music that we’ve talked about, but like the kind of like meditation stuff that we listen to to calm down or all the all the apps we have for mindfulness and all that to try and find our own peace and stuff. I think we should all be interviewing. We should all be interviewing ourselves.

Oh, for sure. Like five minutes a day. Give yourself a nice interview.

Yeah, about how amazing you are or what you’ve just done and or any situation you’ve just been in and be like, this is how we got through it. That’s an awesome thing to do. I think that would perk up anybody’s day.

Interview yourself, folks. That’s what I’m saying.

Ask yourself the tough questions.

Yes. Like the Rolling Stones.

And just see what comes out.

I mean, be honest with yourself.

Yeah, the Beatles or the Rolling Stones.

At the bottom of the glass, there’s always something profound.

It’s a good drink. So critic reviews. There were 49 critic reviews for this movie.

44 of them are fresh. It has a 90 percent and only five were rotten. And the five, some of them are rotten really without any highlight to provide.

I mean, you can read the full article, but we just kind of cover the the snapshot. And so here’s the one. This is from Film Freak Central.

I think the best part of this segment is the names of the people who comment.

You’re not wrong. Yeah, you are not.

Freak Central.

Lay it on us. Let’s hear it.

“Groundwork for The Full Monty school of condescending films about noble blue collar western europeans who like their beer dark and their unemployment light.”

Wow, that’s very specific.

That is.

I didn’t know that was the genre.

Apparently.

“The Full Monty school of condescending films.”

Billy Elliot.

Yeah.

What?

Yeah.

“The Full Monty school of condescending films.”

Oh.

What?

It’s so funny because it sounds condescending. Yeah.

That’s true. I totally forgot about The Full Monty. It’s that same feel and which.

Full Monty came out, I thought, after.

Late 90s?

I think after The Commitments.

Yeah, 97.

Yes.

That’s interesting. They must have seen this and reviewed it late afterwards because otherwise, why would you make that?

Right.

Yeah. Why would you compare it to something that came out years later?

Because they’re an oracle.

I love the part. I’m just going to start talking about parts I love.

Yeah, do it.

Yeah.

That’s okay. I’m going to come back to the whole audition scene where Jimmy says, who are your influences? I love that.

Who are your influences? Yes. Yeah.

I made a whole list of everybody that they, Barry Manilow, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Wings.

Yes.

Bachman Turner Overdrive. Do we know this band? Who is Bachman Turner Overdrive?

I feel like I’ve heard of it as well.

I’ve heard of it.

I’d like to know.

I can’t place it.

Spando Ballet. Love Spando Ballet.

Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.

Right? Okay. I know who I’m talking about.

Am I right? Right. True.

Soft Cell. Sinead O’Connor, Led Zeppelin. U2.

And then when they finally picked the drummer and he says his influence is Animal from the Muppets.

Yep.

That’s the best one.

Salt.

And to be fair, who is a drummer should not be influenced by Animal.

Oh, my God.

He’s amazing.

I would say the Muppets version of Queen is one of my favorites. Oh. But they’re Bohemian and Rhapsody.

The Muppets Christmas Carol is the only Christmas Carol.

Oh, it’s the best Christmas Carol.

Forget it.

Amen. Well, we greatly appreciate all of our listeners for choosing this podcast and for supporting independent films. Keep an ear out for our next podcast and our next episodes.

Our next podcast?

You heard me. Keep an ear out for our next episode to check out our show notes or drop us a note. Visit imbibescinema.com.

I’m Jonathan C. Legat, and thanks again for imbibing with us.

Time for the cheers!