Dir. Shimmy Marcus , UK , 2010, 84 mins
Cast: Martin Compston, Nichola Burley, Alfie Allen, Felicity Jones
Review by Maria Sell
Set in 1974 working-class Stoke-on-Trent , SoulBoy is a charming coming-of-age tale powered by the influence Northern Soul subculture had on its young generation. The enjoyable soundtrack is an integral part of the story, featuring many classic soul tracks. The music should appeal to both the generation that experienced the era firsthand and a younger audience, perhaps more familiar with some covers of originals, such as Marilyn Manson's cover of Gloria Jones's Tainted Love .
The slightly clichéd, triangular romance follows Joe (Martin Compston), a delivery van worker during the week and petty thief at the weekend, who is bored with his life going nowhere. His weekend routine of going to the local pub with his friend Russ (Alfie Allen) is broken when he becomes smitten with hairdresser Jane (Nichola Burley), who awakens an interest and passion for the Northern Soul music scene.
On Joe's first visit to the Wigan Casino, the Northern Soul club at the time, he meets Mandy (Felicity Jones) and enlists her help to teach him the right dance moves so he can im press Jane. Unaware that Mandy has fallen for him, he pursues Jane and aims to immerse himself completely in the Northern Soul scene at any cost. However in the process Joe comes dangerously close to losing everything.
Although the story is predictable at times, with no twists or surprises along the way, the credible performances of the cast make this an entertaining watch and a refreshing alternative to most contemporary dance movies, which are painstakingly choreographed. The dancing feels authentic and Sweet Sixteen actor Martin Compston reaffirms his acting capabilities. He provides a strong lead through his portrayal of the drifting teenager on his journey to adulthood, where he discovers a little more about himself and what he wants from life. Compston also proves that he does not have two left feet, skilfully carrying off a dance move or two. Felicity Jones stands out as his sweet natured, artistically in cline d friend Mandy, as does Pat Shortt in an amusing turn as Brendan, Joe's Irish colleague, who is obsessed with Tom Jones and falls for a client.
This film breathes a love for Northern Soul music as well as the culture. With its familiar story and catchy soundtrack it will engage both fans and newcomers to this iconic movement. In a nice touch at the end of the film credits crew members recount their real-life memories of that time.
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