Jimmy’s Hall, the 2014 period drama starring Andrew Scott, will air late tonight on Film4. Scheduled to air at 1:10am on Monday, the movie will subsequently be added to Channel 4’s streaming service.
Ken Loach, the esteemed filmmaker behind The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) and I, Daniel Blake (2016), serves as the director, while Barry Ward, Simone Kirby, Jim Norton and Denise Gough round out the cast.
Based on the true story of James “Jimmy” Gralton, a socialist and the only Irish citizen to be deported from independent Ireland, the film follows his determination to establish the community dance hall, which would result in backlash from the Catholic clergy and local officials.
Currently, Jimmy’s Hall holds a Certified Fresh rating of 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics penning largely positive reviews.
“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,” noted the BBC.
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“While this deeply romanticised and fictionalised account of a little-known underdog might not serve you in any trivia capacities, it’s also a worthy and loving story of humanity in the face of oppression,” wrote the Associated Press.
Echoing this sentiment, The Independent said: “Jimmy’s Hall is one of the sunniest, most optimistic films in the Ken Loach canon.”
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Scott, who has received widespread acclaim for his recent roles in All of Us Strangers (2023) and Ripley (2024), takes on a supporting role as Father Seamus in Jimmy’s Hall.
Speaking about the real-life story of Jimmy Gralton, director Loach told The Guardian: “It just brought so many things together. The idea of a free space, resistance, progressive ideas, revolutionary ideas, music, dance, fun, enjoyment, and an oppressive society that wants to squeeze the life out of it.”
Jimmy’s Hall will air at 1:10am on Monday, 11 August, on Film4. It will then be available to watch on Channel 4’s streaming service.
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Megan is a freelance news reporter for Digital Spy.Â