Roger Allam’s new period drama The Choral has been praised as a “crowdpleaser” as the first reviews come in.
The British film, which premiered last week at the Toronto International Film Festival, follows a choral society in Yorkshire who lose several members of their group as they head off to war.
With a major competition coming up, they decide to search for new members, with a scandalous local doctor and a group of unruly teens joining their ranks.
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The BFI synopsis reads: “Brimming with humour and hope, [writer Alan] Bennett and [director] Nicholas Hytner’s latest triumph celebrates the power of community in the darkest of days.”
As well as Endeavour’s Allam, the film also stars 28 Years Later’s Ralph Fiennes, Game of Thrones’ Mark Addy, New Tricks’ Alun Armstrong, and House of the Dragon’s Simon Russell Beale.
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The first critic reviews for The Choral have now landed, with some praising the movie’s comforting and uplifting storyline.
IndieWire wrote: “A light, low-key crowdpleaser that occasionally steps into more harrowing territory before neatly spinning right out of it.”
Meanwhile, AwardsWatch penned: “The storytelling beats of Nicholas Hytner’s The Choral may be overly familiar, but the restraint in the performances and direction make it comfort food cinema at its finest.”
The AU Review was similarly positive, writing: “It’s the epitome of a crowd pleaser, serving as a reminder in these times of hardship how powerful music can truly be.”
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However, other reviews were mixed, with some saying the film was underwhelming.
The New York Post described The Choral as “a lot of pomp and circumstance”, while TheWrap called it a “stiff, oddly lifeless film where even its beautiful singing manages to fall flat”.
The Choral is set to receive a UK premiere next month at the BFI London Film Festival, with showings in the capital scheduled for Sunday 12 October, Monday 13 October, and Friday 17 October.
Outside of London, 11 other UK cities are hosting limited screenings of films from the main festival as part of the BFI On Tour project.
The Choral will be theatrically released in the UK in early November.
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Rachel Finn is a freelance sub-editor at Digital Spy.