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Critics Consensus: Northern Soul overcomes its spotty narrative with a likable cast, rich period atmosphere, and a killer soundtrack that perfectly captures the time.
Critic Consensus: Northern Soul overcomes its spotty narrative with a likable cast, rich period atmosphere, and a killer soundtrack that perfectly captures the time.
All Critics (35) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (27) | Rotten (8)
The movie is carried by the two hard-dancing leads, whose sweat-soaked strutting demands attention.
Rich in period detail, it's as transportative to the shuffling spins, fashion subculture and euphoric, amphetamine-fuelled all-nighters of 1974 Lancashire and the cult-following DJs of the Wigan Casino as a documentary, turned up to 11.
The film has a ferocious, shaggy energy that mirrors that of the testosterone-, amphetamine- and adrenaline-pumped boys.
Where this movie comes up short is in bringing any kind of real life to its bildungsroman side.
The first feature from writer-director Elaine Constantine, herself a Northern soul veteran, the film follows a fairly familiar innocent-led-astray storyline.
Funny and feisty, gritty and sometimes grim, this first feature from the photographer Elaine Constantine delivers a sweaty snapshot of a very specific time and place.
Buy the soundtrack. Avoid this film.
Disaffected youth and music go together like - well, there's actually no better simile. So how else to describe British director Elaine Constantine's first film? For one thing, it's got a well-defined sense of place and time.
The cast is mostly made of newcomers, and they are very good indeed.
Every last detail feels authentic, from the slightly unfashionable clothes to the cramped rooms in which John and his friends sort through records and piles of pills.
It's best to not quibble with the details and just enjoy the sights and sounds of this period drama.
"Northern Soul" feels driven by youthful energy.
A really engrossing look at how US soul music reached the UK in the 70's and the scene that accompanied it. Great performances from the well known actors but the main actors who are not that well known, along with the superb soundtrack, really steal the show and keep you watching.
Super Reviewer
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