THE COMMITMENTS (M) Presented in Glorious 35mm

The Commitments at Revival House Perth

Get ready for the most joyful music film ever made about a band that never quite makes it. Alan Parker's 1991 masterpiece follows a group of working-class Dublin kids who form a soul band in a city that's never heard of soul music—and somehow make magic anyway.

Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins) has a vision: bring soul music to the people of Dublin. He assembles a ragtag crew of musicians—a volatile singer with a voice from heaven (Andrew Strong), three tough-talking backup singers, a trumpet player who studied in London, and a mysterious old-timer named Joey "The Lips" Fagan (Johnny Murphy) who claims to have played with all the greats. What follows is equal parts inspiration and chaos as egos clash, romances bloom, and the music soars.

Parker captures the gritty reality of working-class Dublin in the early '90s while the soundtrack explodes with Motown, Stax, and classic soul. The musical performances are electrifying—these aren't actors pretending to play; they're a real band that can genuinely bring the house down. Andrew Strong's powerhouse vocals on "Mustang Sally" and "Try a Little Tenderness" remain iconic, while the backup singers steal every scene they're in.

Based on Roddy Doyle's novel, the film balances humor and heart, showing how music can briefly unite people from different worlds—even if the band's doomed from the start. The film launched several music careers and remains the gold standard for capturing what it feels like to be in a band: the joy, the arguments, and the transcendent moments when it all comes together.

Pure soul, Dublin style.

Present in authentic 35mm film for the true cinematic experience!

When: Saturday, November 22nd at 2:00 PM
Where: Revival House Perth
Rating: M - Coarse language and adult themes

Alan Parker's most joyful film—a love letter to soul music and the dreamers who play it.