Such a frustrating disappointment

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

This is one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. The direction is excellent, the acting is great, although really weird, and the script is perfect.This film is a real masterpiece but I think many people just can't get past the accents. It's NOT a "accurate depiction of the 70s" - or at least, it's not trying to be. It's a movie in which really normal people deal with really WEIRD situations. I love it because everyone stays normal despite this strange phenomena of Howard Smith's.I've never seen a romantic comedy with such normal, and realistic people who, despite being idiots, were sweet, and honest.

SPOILERS Always an amusement, generations will always tell each other how great an era was. Whether a man truly thrives as a hippy in the 1960s or whether he's a punk in the 1970s, the one thing which can nearly always be seen is that he remembers that time fondly. It's films like "Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?" which try to latch onto this. Giving a strong impression that writer Ben Steiner grew up as a Disco Enthusiast in the 1970s, the film has raised questions about accuracy. Punks might complain about the strong criticism of them, but whether the film is accurate, or whether it's ridiculously one sided, the one thing which should not be questioned is that you'll come out of this film feeling cheerful.Harold Smith (Tom Courtenay) is a family man who likes to watch television and never causes anyone any trouble. With a constantly cheating wife (Lulu), a magician son (Matthew Rhys) and a younger son in love (Michael Legge), Smith seems to leave a relatively normal life. This changes however when it is discovered that Smith possesses magical powers and becomes a figure of media curiosity.Told from the point of view of younger son Vince (Legge), "Whatever Happened to Harold Smith" is a great film which is deep down really about following your dreams and being happy. In love with punk fan Joanna (Laura Fraser), Vince spends the film trying to win the girl whilst finding himself in a era when people seemed to be either punks or disco fans. Whilst the story has minor subplots (Stephen Fry's change from science into religion is brilliant), it's this idea that we should never be afraid to fight for what we want which really makes us smile.In majority, the cast performs adequately. Legge, Courtney and Fraser shine, whilst James Corden as Legge's friend Walter is at times superb. All in all, the only real criticism in the acting is Lulu. Whilst an acceptable musician in a time gone by, sadly Lulu has never really been much good at acting, and in this film she confirms it with a vague performance as Courtney's cheating wife.Any film which has a soundtrack containing disco and punk is going to sound questionable. Somehow though, "Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?" manages this easily. Switching from the high pitched tones of the BeeGees through to the heavier tones of the Clash, the film succeeds in playing songs by most of the major artists of the time. On a personal note, it's finest soundtrack moment is when towards the end we witness a punk band joining into a well known BeeGees song. This should be awful and it should be shocking, but the band manages to put just enough instrumental into it that we get a superb little scene which lasts in the memory.If you weren't there, you aren't going to know how truly accurate this film is. For some it might be a nice reflection of a time they loved, whilst for others it might be completely false and insulting. As a film though, the plot is designed to leave a smile on the face and it manages this rather well, whether historically accurate or not.

Well the British film industry has certainly excelled itself this time. This film is original, comical, extremely fun and is guaranteed to have you boogieing the night away!Michael Legge is fantastic as Vince Smith, and you cannot help but feel for his character in his love torn feelings. Harold Smith is also great but Legge has the 'fever'.If you liked and enjoyed 'Saturday Night Fever' then this is the film for you. But it is in my opinion that this film is much better, so if you only liked it you will love 'Whatever Happened To Harold Smith?' just as I did.DISCO RULES!

Despite some minor anachronisms (the film is supposedly set in 1977 but, at times, seems to bound between the 50s and 90s) this was a heartwarming and hilariously funny film. Like "The Full Monty" the film is Sheffield based but, in terms of belly aching humour, it excels even that movie. I can't say much more because to do so would probably produce spoilers but its well worth a visit.