Movie Review by EDF
Starring: Paul Kaye, Beatriz Batarda, Kate Magowan, Mike Wilmot, Neil Maskell
Director: Michael Dowse
For those of us looking from the outside, we are always curious what those artists who produce the music that we buy get up to. THIS IS SPINAL TAP was one of the original mockumentaries produced that everyone knows but if you were to go even further back, you could say that THE RUTLES: ALL YOU NEED IS CASH got there before Spinal Tap. We will leave that discussion for another time and instead have a look at IT’S ALL GONE PETE TONG. It was only going to be a matter of time before someone lifted the lid on superstar DJ’s and the wild lifestyle they lead.
Frankie Wilde (Paul Kaye) has it all. International fame as a jet setting DJ whose face is rarely off the front cover of a magazine. With the token wife by his side, that is when she is not off partying with somebody else, Frankie lives an outrageous lifestyle in the fast lane. Surrounded by drugs, women and adoring fans, Frankie knows how to party harder than most.
Suddenly Frankie finds that the bigger you are, the harder you fall. Tragedy strikes when his hearing diminishes and while doing his best to cover it up, he finds himself going deeper into a depressive dark hole. With all of his friends deserting him, Frankie disappears for a year to sort himself out but will he be able to pick himself up and continue his love affair with music?
The amazing thing about this movie is not only does it capture the Ibiza like clubbing atmosphere, you feel that you are behind the decks with Frankie. While not initially the most likeable character on screen, you do get behind Frankie when you realise that Frankie has surrounded himself with people who are hanging on to his whirlwind of success. The cold turkey scenes where Frankie is literally hopping off the walls are somewhat disturbing and emotional. Director Michael Dowse has managed to make an interesting story into an exciting visual treat, helped along by a great soundtrack. The script itself is actually very funny and there is not one moment where you don’t actually believe that Paul Kaye is Frankie Wilde.
IT’S ALL GONE PETE TONG is destined to be one of the must see British movies of the year and here, everything is right.
