Carmel

No hated Briget Jones as well it was to girlie for me hate those kind of films all girls are not desperate as suggested in Briget Jones.

Poirot

Nil by Mouth, Made in Britain and The Football Factory, probably in that order.

Pye

Just wanted to chip in about hugh grant. Within a thread like this i think it's unfair to compare his rom coms, a very different genre. films like notting hill whilst i loathe it is a decent attempt at a romcom judging by its admirers. As for hugh grant i do think he has immaculate timing and is a fine film comedy actor

D Cairns

How can you "judge by its admirers" whether something is a good romcom? I like many classic Hollywood romantic comedies, and even more modern versions like GROSSE POINT BLANK, ANNIE HALL, THE SURE THING. I hated NOTTING HILL though. It didn't depress me, it did infuriate me.
In common with the critics, I was depressed and upset by BRITANNIA HOSPITAL when I first saw it, but i love it now. maybe some time had to pass to allow it to be funny rather than painful for a lot of us in that time.

samkydd

It Always Rains on Sunday (1947) is a very good but depressing Ealing film, depicting post-war austere Britain at its worst. The drudgery of respectable working class family life in squalid terraced streets, which despite being mid-20th century looked almost unchanged since Dickensian times!

I found myself ignoring the plot and just taking in the awfulness of the domestic situation Googie Withers found herself in; looking old before her time, being taken for granted by everyone in the family, and craving that spark of life which had long since been snuffed out by a miserable marriage and too many laborious wash days, with nothing to look forward to apart from the end of rationing and the 1950s white goods revolution!

"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"

Carmel

if you need your white stick replaced i'll kindly send you one.

sippog

You probably mean AMERICAN DREAMZ where he plays a kind of Simon Cowell character. Another film: AN AWFULLY BIG ADVENTURE, where he plays a slightly creepy gay theatre director, was also a break from his floppy-haired public school git persona and proves he can act when he wants to.

Similarly Tom Cruise in MAGNOLIA handed in probably the best performance of his career as a misogynistic guru of a cult (now I wonder where he got the inspiration for that?)

You can't really blame actors for getting type-cast in certain successful roles, the poor dears do have to eat. But it is interesting how they can 'fixed' in certain roles.

Donald Sinden used to be quite an interesting actor, as anyone who saw him at the RSC in the 60's can attest. Then he played a rolling eyed, rumbling, eye-brow raising
character in THE LONDON ASSURANCE that was a big hit; and ever after he has played everything the same. Likewise Anthony Quinn repeated ZORBA THE GREEK as Zorba The Italian, Zorba the Irishman, Zorba The Spaniard etc etc

Aaryk Noctivagus

Probably 'American Dreamz' indeed I'm sure that must be the one

James L

If we're talking about films that can depress a person through their sheer ineptitude and pointlessness, then I'd propose:

Outlaw - Sean Bean rounds up gang of vigilantes in muddled sub-Winner revenge flick

Julie and the Cadillacs - woeful 1960s-set musical that has to be seen to be believed.

Chicken Tiika Massalla - am I the only person who's seen this culture clash "comedy"?

Fat Slags - enough said

dogstar

I agree - watching Fat Slags was a profoundly depressing experience. All concerned should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves ( as I am for having sat through it - time that can never be recovered! ). I have never seen Sex Lives of the Potato Men but have a suspicion it would fall into the same category - unless anyone knows different of course.....

James L

Yes, Sex Lives of the Potato Men is grim indeed - about as amusing as The War Zone, and as erotic as Come Play with Me.

Speaking of which, surely Come Play with Me ranks high in our list of potential wrist-slashers?

orpheum

On The Night Of The Fire(1939)all gloom and doom

Welcome To Highbury The Home Of Football

D Cairns

British films on sex are often deeply depressing and unsexy (accidentally or on purpose), so COME PLAY WITH ME definitely qualifies. NOT NOW DARLING made me upset to be human. CARRY ON EMMANUELLE is a cinematic bereavement.

silverwhistle

I didn't see it, but from what I read about it, my main thoughts were: This character has a job, her own flat, lots of friends… What the hell is she whining about? 'She hasn't got a boyfriend'? Big deal! They're only optional extras.

"Trust me, I'm a doctor...!"

PopPicker

The Sandwich Man with Michael Bentine.

Thoroughly 'orrible