Hunky Dory

An E1 Entertainment discharge of a movie Agency of Wales, Prescience, in colaboration with Aegis Film Fund presentation of the Large Pond Prods., Bad Wolf Films production. (Worldwide sales: Independent Films, London.) Created by Jonathan Finn, Serta Lupovitz. Executive producers, Pauline Burt, Christopher Figg, James Gallimore, Keith Potter, Robert Whitehouse. Directed by Marc Evans. Script, Laurence Coriat.Vivienne - Minnie Driver Davey - Aneurin Barnard Stella - Danielle Branch Evan - Tom Harries Headmaster - Robert Pugh Mrs. Valentine - Haydn Gwynne Mr. Cafferty - Steve Speirs Tim - Aled Pugh Sylvie - Julia Perez Kenny Loder - Darren Evans Evan - Tom Harries Mike - George MacKay Lewis - Adam Byard Vicki - Kimberley NixonMinnie Driver plays an instructor battling to shepherd her students via a pop-obtained manufacture of "The Tempest" in "Hunky Dory," helmer Marc Evans' raggedy, period-set comedy drama. Supplying further evidence the karaoke aesthetic of "Glee" is rapidly metastasizing, the pic draws only slight entertainment value in the spectacle of babies warbling seventies pop tunes, just like a retro version of "Senior High School Musical" with less charm. The half-baked script does not help, however the film's greatest problem is going to be finding an aud: Kids will think the background music old-fashioned while couple of parents will discover the premise appealing. Inside a Welsh suburb within the sweltering early summer time of 1976, Vivienne (Driver), a higher-school drama teacher who once aspired to become a thesp herself, attempts to keep her youthful charges' minds on practicing a musical version of "The Tempest" that opens inside a couple of days. Very frequently, the children cut rehearsals to visit swimming or storm off after fighting with one another. Such clashes happen with rather forced regularity throughout, so that they can generate plot-sending momentum. A minimum of shy male lead Davey (Aneurin Barnard) is motivated, especially since he reaches play Ferdinand opposite crush Stella (Danielle Branch), the beautiful "town bike" (so named because "everybody has already established a ride") who's been cast as Miranda. Once the kid playing Prospero all of a sudden drops to concentrate on rugby practice, Vivienne in desperation persuades the school's headmaster (Robert Pugh) to accept role, wishing that flattering his vanity will give you some protection against fellow faculty people, for example prissy Mrs. Valentine (Haydn Gwynne) and sneering P.E. teacher Mr. Cafferty (Steve Speirs), who'd both be thrilled to determine the entire factor cancelled. The script propagates itself too thin attempting to give backstories and subplots to a lot of figures, probably the most intriguing and edgy which sees Davey moving his affections from Stella to Vivienne herself, but this proto-"Notes on the Scandal" development remains unconsummated. Around the upside, the musical plans by Jody Talbot are actually frequently lovely, particularly when they deploy unusual instrumentation and choirs of tuneful Welsh kids on tracks initially carried out by ELO, Nick Drake (a credibility-stretching pick, considering the fact that he was barely known beyond aficionado circles in 1976) and David Bowie ( "Existence on Mars," possibly not the best option, because it consists of the road "However the film is really a saddening bore "). The climactic performance from the experience an outside set has charm, and it is prettily lit and lensed by rising youthful d.p. Charlotte now Bruus Christensen ("Submarino"). Barnard, who required charge role within the London stage version of "Spring Awakening," really includes a fine group of pipes, and Driver (who's launched a couple of solo albums among acting gigs) is not bad, either, although she somewhat lacks color. The regularity that she's triggered to sing boosts accusations the pic might have been partially designed like a vanity project to showcase its star's musical abilities. Although it was really created before "Glee" began showing on television, "Hunky Dory" nonetheless feels as though a latecomer cashing in on the possibly already waning fad for cover-version-based musicals. In comparison using the U.S. television series, the script by Laurence Coriat ("Me Without You") lacks wit, even comprising the degeneration of "Glee" in the last year. Helming by Marc Evans is serviceable but underwhelming. Perhaps, the pic's best moment comes in the finish, when subtitles reveal the bittersweet fates that befall the majority of the figures within their old age, adding a downbeat quality that slices a few of the sugariness from the preceding 109 minutes.Camera (color, widescreen), Charlotte now Bruus Christensen music, Jody Talbot music supervisor, Liz Gallacher production designer, Jacqueline Abrahams art director, Carly Reddin seem (DTS/SDDS/Dolby Digital) supervisory seem editor, Stephen Griffiths re-recording mixer, Take advantage of Hughes executive visual effects supervisor, Sean Farrow assistant director, Serta Mumford casting, Jessica Ronane. Examined at London Film Festival (Film around the Square), March. 21, 2011. Running time: 109 MIN.(British dialogue) Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com