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It's
All Gone Pete Tong
(Directed by Michael Dowse , starring
Paul Kaye and Beatriz Betarda)
The
phrase "Its all gone Pete Tong" will immediately ring
some familiar bells of doom in your ears.
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Reviewer
Kate Allen
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Whether
you've heard your kids utter it or you've lived it first hand from
the dance floor, its pretty self explanatory.
The term translates as "it's all gone wrong", and is rhyming
slang playing off the name of superstar DJ Pete Tong.
It automatically puts you in a particular era: the second Summer
of Love, when club kids loved the music and each other, and partied
hard as far afield as the island of Ibiza.
As the title suggests, though, all is not well in partyville! So
what exactly could have gone so "Pete Tong"?
semi-naked
people
Before
I saw this film I knew relatively little about it. I knew that the
main character was a DJ and was played by Paul Kaye, a personal
favourite of mine from his Dennis Pennis days! I also knew it was
set in Ibiza but knew nothing of its content or plot.
If I'm
honest, I didn't really know what to expect. Although I am, or rather
have been, a self-proclaimed party girl, the thought of spending
a summer in Ibiza writhing around with gurning, sweaty, semi-naked
people does not fill me with an urge to pack my bikini into my stylish
yet affordable rucksack.
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Cooome
On
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But
it's good sometimes to see what you're missing.
The
film is first and foremost a comedy, following the somewhat 'tragic'
life of fictional superstar DJ Frankie Wilde, taking us through
the highs - and quite considerable lows - that come with the territory.
Frankie is a turntable genius who has made it to the top of this
very competitive profession. Money is no object, he has everything:
a trophy villa, a trophy wife, trophy friends, an inexhaustible
supply of trophy drugs.
And
then one day he has to face some life-changing facts and have a
re-think. For a cruel twist of fate has dealt Frankie with the biggest
setback a DJ can face.
compulsive
viewing
Amidst
the sharp comedy, the film deals with fame and all that comes with
it, the luxurious excess and the delicate grip on sanity. At times
the audience is made to feel uncomfortable, but this all makes for
compulsive viewing.
The
closing scene is a little reminiscent of School of Rock, which only
adds to its overall charm. Even I, the hard nosed ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ London travel
reporter, was welling up with feelgood tears!
Paul Kaye is frankly (Frankie?) brilliant and has already been rewarded
with the Jury Award for Best Actor at the US Comedy Arts Festival
this year.
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| Superstar
DJ |
Director
Michael Dowse has produced some wonderful performances from not
only Kaye, but also from Beatriz Betarda, who you may know from
Christopher Moraham's Beyond A Joke, for which she won a gold medal
for Best Actress of the Year.
Needless
to say, with this genre of film, the soundtrack is excellent. Supervised
by Lol Hammond, resident south Londoner and founder of The Drum
Club and Spiral Tribe, it includes tunes by Shapeshifters and the
Beta Band that would fill any Ibiza dance floor.
Lol was also partly responsible for the 'DJ coaching' of the lead
character and was Frankie Wilde's 'stunt hands' - an interesting
concept!
It's
All Gone Pete Tong will relate to anyone who has ever dabbled in
club culture, on the dance floor and off it.
Go
and get lost in the crystal blueness of Paul Kaye's eyes for a couple
of hours - or if that don't float your boat, the film will. Rave
over!
It's All Gone Pete Tong is released
on 27 May
Go to this week's new releases for
more
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through amazing shots of London from high up in a helicopter!