This is a solid, but not outstanding, story of an ordinary man's journey to fame. I didn't see it in the cinema because the trailer revealed the entire plot and made it seem like another of those cheesy movies about kind hearted Northern folk triumphing over adversity. One Chance even has Julie Walters, the go-to actor to portray wacky working class characters. I finally saw the film on a plane and found that there was more to it. James Corden, as singer Paul Potts, is a great actor - he can play the Everyman underdog with just the right balance of tentative confidence and vulnerability. The film is about sticking to your dream and rising above the obstacles life throws you. It's interesting how fate can turn on the smallest things, such as friends pushing you to enter that talent competition or suffering health setbacks. And how he realises he has to actively reject working in the foundry and work at his singing. Corden and the script elevate many scenes into works of art, such as the time in Venice when he's rehearsing with his opera singer friend on the streets. And the love scene on his wedding night is genuinely moving. The disastrous audition for Pavarotti is beautifully done. Imagine being told by your idol that you aren't that good. It's another pivotal point where Potts rejects his fate and persists in his goal. Which is quite inspiring. The ending is corny, but hey, it is a musical, and it is what happened in real life. Good on him.
Review of One Chance
