MovieChat Forums > Cemetery Junction (2010) Discussion > Very clichéd - not worth 7.3

Very clichéd - not worth 7.3


First off, I'll say I'm British, and not American - so I haven't got that in-built ignorance to outside cultures. I wasn't around in the 70's, but I do think it was one of the best era's for music (progressive), and to be a young adult. But I found this flick so cliché & formulaic. You'd have to be pretty damn stupid to not guess the plot of the film in the first 10 minutes.

I've probably forgotten a few now but here's some I remember. Call them tributes, but they've been in so many damn films:

-climbing in through the girls bedroom window to evade the parents... how many times has that been done?
-running for a train and then jumping on whilst it's moving. is anyone actually stupid enough to do that irl?
-the short glances to one another from across the room (the daughter and mum both did this more than enough times)
-the impromptu musical performance from the 'slow' guy, and the resulting dancing from the 'toffs'. Ultimate cheese!
-good guy likes cute girl. cute girl dates jerk. girl realises at the end.runs away with good guy

And how many times were they going to shoot the long, pondering pout from Christian Cooke? He gave Derek Zoolander a good run for his money.

The film wasn't bad. Decent performances especially from Tom Hughes, and Ralph Fiennes, but it just wasn't anything special. And considering it was set in the 70's, the musical score was pretty damn awful - the best being David Bowie. Where were Pink Floyd? The Beatles? Yes? Genesis? Jethro Tull? King Crimson? I have to assume the movie was supposed to be set in 1970, when the effects of the 'swinging 60's' hadn't died down.

And as for the 'feel good movie' it was marketed as - I found it pretty damn depressing!
6/10

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Set in 1973, i think.

Id pretty much agree with every point you made. I loved the cinematography and the film made me laugh out loud three or four times, but some of the direction was baffling - as you say, they kept on using the same shots, which became very irritating. I did enjoy the soundtrack, and i loved the opening scene with Vaughn Williams playing over the shots of southern England countryside. But once every character had been introduced it was obvious where each narrative was going to go, which would have been acceptable had the script had a bit more sparkle.

Also i found the cafe owner character annoying. He belonged in Mr Bean.

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tv movie

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I agree 6/10, a little disappointed.

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Americans have a built-in ignorance to outside cultures? Isn't that an ignorant statement in itself? The states is an amalgamation of many many cultures. We're not all uneducated, rednecks, living in the deep woods polishing our rifles.

I came to this board because I was curious about this film. Your first sentence is so hypocritical it made it difficult to read anything else you'd written. Insultingly biased opinion of American culture while claiming to not have a built in ignorance. Ridiculously hypocritical.

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There there now, well done making your point by acting exactly as the OP intended with his first sentence. The fact that he succeeded in trolling you is, if anything, testament to the truth of his statement.

This the only post of you on this board. 'Curious about this movie', yea right. You saw a statement you didn't agree with and just HAD to correct it. You, sir, are what internet trolling is all about.

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Nope.

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"making your point by acting exactly as the OP intended with his first sentence. The fact that he succeeded in trolling you is, if anything, testament to the truth of his statement."

Just because you wrote this in a way that seems intelligent, doesn't mean that it contains any logic whatsoever. What does a poster falling for a troll have to do with being an American who's ignorant to other cultures? Nothing. Also, to get upset with the guy for being offended by some dick posting asinine generalizations about Americans--irony completely lost on said dick--is absurd.

Don't steal. The government hates the competition.

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[deleted]

Just because you wrote this in a way that seems intelligent,
Overly generous, imo.


http://www.rateyourmusic.com/~JrnlofEddieDeezenStudies

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[deleted]

can i just say, I'm British and I completely disagree with the idiot who started this thread. I agree with you. He says americans are ignorant to other cultures, which is ironic as this comment shows his ignorance. We're not all like that!

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[deleted]

First off, I'll say I'm British, and not American - so I haven't got that in-built ignorance to outside cultures


Sod off.

W.W.G.D.
What Would Gibson Do?

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Agree,very tired premise.

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I see what people are saying about it being "cliched" but I don't think that's a bad thing. Film makers so often get "feelgood" movies wrong and more often than not I leave the cinema feeling underwhelmed. I don't think Gervais and Merchant intended us to over think and analyse when watching Cemetery Junction, they just wanted to make a fun, inspiring movie - which in my opinion, they did!
Gobias Industries TM

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Yes, this movie was VERY predictable.

I don't think Ricky is meant to do films.

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with the other posters that pointed out your ignorant american bashing thesis statement.

well done flushing your argument down the toilet by making yourself look like a self-important tool.


why don't you spend less time being an idiot and more time brushing your crooked plaque-ridden teeth? i think that would be a good idea....




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[deleted]

I agree. It was a cliche ridden drama. Not really a comedy either.

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"why don't you spend less time being an idiot and more time brushing your crooked plaque-ridden teeth? i think that would be a good idea.... "

May I assume from that comment that you're American, and making the same kind of generalisations that you're criticising from the OP?

It seems to be a given among certain ignorant types of Americans that they can safely mock Brits for having lousy teeth. The fact is that according to an OECD report we have the best teeth of all OECD countries.

Maybe the OP wasn't so far off the mark after all....

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I agree with your synopsis of the film, but there were some good points made in the film, being raised by a single parent and that growing up and being identified as the idiot and trying to be something you are not. thought the music was very poorly chosen barring David Bowie- I heard No T Rex, or Pink Floydd etc. I think that you have rightly pointed out the cliche's and some of the comedy doesn't work being too contrite.
I think you underestimate our American Cousins - some of the top English fims have been more successful over in the states as they have made the effort to understand the culture and the different language - i.e Cockney - I doubt that they will understand the Noddy with a blue hat and bell joke. But overall it was a piece of nostalgia for some, good entertainement for 90 odd minutes and worthy 6 out of 10 , had the music been better and less cliched it would have got more. But may Gervais and Marchent do more

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Errr.... I definitely heard T.Rex, "Life's a Gas" in there. I'm Scottish and in 1973 I was 12. The music was spot on. They could have played Mud, Sweet, Wings, David Essex, Gary Glitter, The Bee Gees or The Rubettes and they wouldn't have been out of place. They're just not considered as cool as Bowie, Roxy or Lou Reed. Pink Floyd, Genesis, Jethro Tull, etc. weren't nearly as openly popular as the Glam crowd in my humble opinion.
Bolan & Bowie were Gods at that particular time, and rightly so.
There, pick the bones out of that.

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Hi Im British too. And im just posting this comment because the British film industry is in the toilet. Literally. Most British film is crap. Hence the toilet explanation. And its nice to be patriotic and post some British slang just to show how British I am. Even though that's irrelevent to this thread and IMDB. By the way I like to sip a cup my coffee and spend my spare time on boards like this because my day job is tiring and i like to complain when i get home from work, but on the way home from work i make sure i have a more miserable face than the person opposite me on the tube. Even though their face is hidden behind a newspaper. I have a wife and a young boy. They are cardboard cut outs. At weekends i wash my car. In the driveway. In front of all the neighbours. Well, is that the time? Washing to do. Wife to pump. Unfortunately. And I am self-depreciating. At least I appear to be. I am also self-loathing when it suits me. Off to watch Jamie Oliver.

'Better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not'

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Do they let you out every Monday, or was this just a test for you? You sound just as big an idiot as Jamie Oliver, so maybe you're a care in the community type.

Best wishes for your recovery.

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I find it stupid how they're trying to make another successful movie or TV series.

The Office and Extras was the best and they will never live up to it again. Quit while you're ahead guys.
And I can say that I think Ricky Gervais is getting a bit arrogant these days..liked him better when he was lesser known. All this fame is going to his head. I like Steve Merchant though and even that round head guy...they deserve a lot more credit than Gervais.

______

Twilight: An abomination to vampires.
True Blood pawns Twilight!

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