Jimmy’s Hall, the “compelling” period drama starring Andrew Scott, is due to leave a UK streamer in the coming days.
The 2014 film, from acclaimed filmmaker Ken Loach, is set in Ireland during the 1930s, with the real-life drama following political activist Jimmy Gralton (Barry Ward) as he returns to his native country following a decade in America.
Upon his return, Jimmy begins to run a community hall for the arts such as dance and music, though he faces the threat of deportation back to the US unless he curbs his political inclinations.
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Starring Scott as Father Seamus, Jimmy’s Hall is currently available to stream via Channel 4 following its airing on Film4 last month, though you’ll have to be quick as the drama is due to be removed from the streamer on Wednesday 10 September at 2.25am.
Written by Loach’s long-time collaborator Paul Laverty, the period drama was well received by critics upon its original release, with its approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes currently standing at 77% from 100 reviews.
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In Digital Spy’s review of the film, we wrote: “Loach and Laverty are obliged to emphasise the violence to stoke the fire in Jimmy’s belly, because all they have to define their hero are the forces that oppose him.”
“With Jimmy’s Hall, Ken Loach creates a quiet but compelling drama about a real-life story,” opined New York Daily News (via Rotten Tomatoes), while Time Out called it “intelligently told” and “stirring”.
“Working from a fact-based screenplay by his long-time collaborator Paul Laverty, Loach addresses a theme that resonates throughout his work: the effect of the political on the personal,” opined the St Louis Post-Dispatch.
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BBC.com was less enthusiastic, however, writing: “It’s a warm, romantic little period drama, with inspirational messages about working for ‘need not greed’. But its rousing music is the only element that gets the heart beating faster.”
While the Ireland-set drama is still streaming for another three days, Scott will soon be seen in an altogether different period drama, with the actor set to play legendary composer Richard Rodgers in Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon.
Jimmy’s Hall is streaming on Channel 4 until Wednesday.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. Â His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
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