A charismatically raucous and appropriately rhythmic fictional biopic...both darkly hilarious and surprisingly emotive.
It's All Gone Pete Tong (2005)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:69
Fresh:53
Rotten:16
Average Rating:6.5/10
Consensus: Part raucous mockumentary, part drama-filled biopic, It's All Gone Pete Tong amuses and warms hearts with its touching, comic, and candid look at a musician faced with a career-ending handicap.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for pervasive drug and alcohol abuse, language and some sexual content/nudity.
Runtime: 90 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Apr 15, 2005 Limited
Synopsis: Shot in a mocumentary style reminiscent of THIS IS SPINAL TAP, director Michael Dowse's IT'S ALL GONE PETE TONG is a funny, touching tale of a DJ who loses his hearing. The title refers to a hugely... Shot in a mocumentary style reminiscent of THIS IS SPINAL TAP, director Michael Dowse's IT'S ALL GONE PETE TONG is a funny, touching tale of a DJ who loses his hearing. The title refers to a hugely popular DJ from the UK, who briefly features in the film, and also fulfills the role of executive producer. "It's all gone Pete Tong" derives from Cockney rhyming slang--a popular UK method for inventing phrases by finding unusual words that rhyme--and when used, means that "it's all gone wrong." Frankie Wilde (Paul Kaye) is the hearing-impaired DJ who delights the clubbers on the island of Ibiza by coupling his larger-than-life drug and alcohol-fueled persona with undeniable skills behind the turntables. But as Frankie's hearing rapidly disintegrates, and his former manager, wife, friends, and record label slowly fade away, the distraught DJ plunges into the depths of despair. After Frankie hits rock bottom, Dowse steers his film into calmer waters, with the fallen star kicking the drugs, and concentrating on rehabilitation. While the events unfold around the fictional character of Frankie, many real-life DJ's appear in the film, giving it a comedic edge as luminaries such as Carl Cox, Tiesto, Paul Van Dyke, Lol Hammond, and others muse on Frankie's rise and fall in the cutthroat world of dance music. But it's Paul Kaye's performance that really gives the film its heart and soul. Infusing his character with a passionate likeability that shines through even when Frankie's behavior plummets to new lows, Kaye conjures up just the right amount of pathos to stop the film from teetering over into corny sentimentalism, making his portrayal a supremely convincing depiction of a star caught in the terrifying throes of a career-ending condition. [More]
Starring: Paul Kaye, Kate Magowan, Beatrice Batarda, Mike Wilmot
Starring: Paul Kaye, Kate Magowan, Beatrice Batarda, Mike Wilmot, Dave Lawrence, Carl Cox, Tiesto, Paul Van Dyke, Lol Hammond
Director: Michael Dowse
Director: Michael Dowse
Screenwriter: Michael Dowse
Producer: Allan Niblo
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Reviews for It's All Gone Pete Tong
Grounded by a gutsy, over-the-edge-and-back performance by Paul Kaye as Frankie, It's All Gone Pete Tong takes the long way around before finally redeeming itself.
It's All Gone Pete Tong seems indistinguishable from a thousand other stories of artistic genius burned out in a blaze of vain glory, but soon the movie catches us up so profoundly ... it's as though we’re seeing it all for the first time.
24 Hour Party People fans willing to go along with a joke will rightfully lap it up.
Writer-director Michael Dowse's film whizzes all over the place like a gaudy kite.
This clever goof on hedonistic dance culture is also an unexpectedly sympathetic drama about coping with hearing loss.
Has the same propulsive, punk-rock vibe as Trainspotting and 24 Hour Party People.
The faux-documentary format does nothing for the material, but Kaye turns in a chaotic and ultimately moving performance.
Somehow, [it] works—like the music at its heart, there isn't much depth, but the glittering surface is entertaining enough to while away the night.
Comes as something of a surprise when its final act actually manages to rally your sympathies. It has Paul Kaye to thank for this.
In Michael Dowse's faux documentary about a D. J. who goes stone deaf, everything that can go wrong generally does, mostly to surprisingly sweet effect.
Helmer's own script feels unfocused and semi-improvisational, with good ideas that should've been taken further, and some not-so-good ones that overstay their welcome.
As the humor flags, It's All Gone Pete Tong starts to feel more like an exercise.
Frankie Wilde’s ride is a wild one indeed, and IT’S ALL GONE PETE TONG manages to capture the essence of both his madness and genius
Whether you really dig this film will depend entirely on your affection for the club scene and you opinion of its heroes.
It's the risks that pay off most handsomely in It's All Gone Pete Tong, a curious mash-up of dance-culture mockumentary and searing biopic.
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