A Bunch of Amateurs (2022) User Reviews

You warm to them ... and then

[Lomax343 · 6/10 · 19 November 2022]

There's something wonderful about people whose enthusiasm exceeds their competence. The Bradford Movie Group (founded 1932) are such people. Their sense of togetherness as they shoot truly awful versions of a scene from Oklahoma, or An Appointment in Samara, makes you warm to them. When you see that their loyalty to their dwindling and virtually bankrupt society (in its dilapidated premises) is matched by their loyalty to family (two members care for elderly and bed-ridden wives, one for a severely disabled brother) then your heat bleeds for them. You get the impression that this little club is the only real family most of them have.

But then.

This film covers a period of two or three years. About two thirds of the way through, Covid arrives. You wonder if this is the death-blow - until salvation arrives in the form of a form letter from HMG inviting businesses to claim financial support. Businesses, not clubs or societies. Nevertheless, they put in a claim and receive a grant. Ten thousand pounds. Of tax-payers' money.

I'm sorry. Lovable as they are, this is fraud. Instead of an uplifting film about survival against the odds, the viewer is left with a bad taste in their mouth.

A heartfelt masterpiece

[izzybelle-47012 · 10/10 · 10 November 2022]

Had the privilege of attending the premiere of this wonderful film and meeting the cast/filmmakers. It brought me to tears, made me laugh hysterically & warmed my heart so much. Beautiful and truly full of passion for film. Colin and Harry are the stand out participants showing the real hardships of life alongside the true joy that a small club can bring. The family feel and the unity of a group coming together (even virtually throughout a pandemic) and supporting one another through bereavements, injuries and the harsh realities of poverty, caring for relatives & loneliness is felt more strongly here than I have ever seen, and it is real. I adored this film.

A beautiful morning indeed.

[kieronpconnolly · 10/10 · 14 December 2022]

This was absolutely brilliant. The enthusiasm, love and a shared joy of cinema is only the start of it. What price a box of biscuits? What price daring to dream the impossible dream? Humanity: this lot is a credit to you. There may not be an Oscar for the winning .. although I wouldn't put it past them, but the sheer joy of fellowship and friendship is there for all to see. The landscape is quite familiar to me ... Bradford/ Dublin, the same, not a bit of difference. And seeing a man wanting to recreate the opening scene of Oklahoma, even though he can't ride a horse or sing, was a joy to behold. And he done none of those things, but it worked magnificently. A beautiful morning indeed.

Loved everything about this movie

[paulsmithson-192-243826 · 10/10 · 29 November 2022]

I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for this amazing movie. It was truly one of the best movies I've seen in a long time and it will go down as a classic. I was enthralled by the various story lines, moved by the characters, and thrilled with the way it was filmed. You all did an incredible job and I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for creating something so special that we can all enjoy.

Movies can have an incredible and lasting impact on our lives. A great movie transports us to different worlds, gives us a glimpse into someone else's experiences, and can even alter our perspectives. It reminds us why life is beautiful and that every moment should be cherished and enjoyed.

'A Bunch of Amateurs' does all of the above whilst delivering some of the funniest scenes I've seen in a movie in years.

'if I give up on making a short film, what's my purpose in life?'

[gilleliath · 9/10 · 13 December 2022]

Is there indeed a purpose in a bunch of Bradford misfits with minimal equipment, little acting ability and less money - without, for that matter, much sign of any real cinematic sense - remaking Oklahoma? That's the profound existential question at the heart of this real-life version of Detectorists, a film which is fun, warm-hearted but also with a strange pathos. And, surprisingly, you may come away feeling that the answer is 'yes'.

The one thing I would say is that it maybe would have been better as a series: an hour and a half of it is a lot to watch in one go (as it would be for the fictional version).

Well made, thoughtful and amusing

[mwid09 · 9/10 · 27 December 2023]

This film was shown on BBC iPlayer under its Storyville banner which is usually the sign that you are about to watch a well crafted, thoughtful and perhaps offbeat documentary. This ticks all those boxes and presents a real life story about the often overlooked need for artistic expression present in working class men and women.

A Bunch of Amateurs also tells a poignant story about our neoliberal age and the general loss of social capital. Behind the sometimes bizarre movies and minuted AGMs is the quiet struggle of a aging group of amateur filmakers to keep their club going - if only as a place to meet friends - in the face of mounting unpaid bills and an indifferent wider public. Like many clubs and societies, this club, formed in 1932, is a relic of another age and its heyday has long since past. There is the fear throughout the documentary that the club shares its destiny with its elderly former president, Colin - that both are frail and in the latter years of their lives.