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IT’S ALL GONE PETE TONG (2004)

Starring: Paul Kaye, Beatriz Batarda, Kate Mogowan and Mike Wilmot

Written and Directed by: Michael Dowse

Distributed by: Matson Films

90 minutes

The following is not based on a true story.

One could say It’s all gone Pete Tong is just writer/director Michael Dowse trying to recreate the success of his debut feature, the cult classic Fubar. Both films do have the same structure: a mockumentary in which the lead character faces a severe health issue. But the similarities between the two films end there; except for the fact that they’re both absolutely hilarious.

In the opening montage we are introduced to Frankie Wilde (Paul Kaye), the hottest DJ in Ibiza. After a little more than a decade of being in the music business Frankie leads the kind of hedonistic lifestyle we mere mortals dream about. Dowse could have made an entire film just about this part of Frankie’s life; his orgy yacht parties, his trampy wife and son that’s obviously not his, or his coke fuelled studio sessions with touchy Austrian musicians Alfonse and Horst (aka Fubar‘s Paul Spence and David Lawrence in yes, a tad clichéd but still thoroughly amusing cameo).

Instead the film decides to explore that subject that partiers rarely like to think about: the long term affects of their lifestyle. After 11 years of non stop booze, drugs and loud music, Frankie discovers he is going deaf. This news would be an unpleasant revelation to anyone but when you make your very lucrative living off being a DJ, Frankie promptly has a nervous breakdown.

While the subject matter is presented comedically, the themes of It’s all gone Pete Tong are the serious issues of illness and addiction. With Fubar and now this film, Dowse has shown that as both a writer and director he is keenly adept at mixing comedy and drama.  Paul Kaye’s performance as Frankie is obviously also crucial to keeping the balance between any moment becoming too serious or ridiculous. Kaye is so charming that he easily captivates you as an audience member.

So instead of disregarding Frankie as nothing more than an aging party boy, this character becomes a real person that you can’t help loving even when he’s at his most outrageous. This is depicted perfectly in the sequence where Frankie finally realizes he has to face up to his addictions and move on if he’s going to survive. You’d never think a dream sequence where Frankie shoots himself dressed up as the badger coke fairy would be moving, and yet it oddly is.

In the final act of the film Frankie emerges from his self-banishment healthy, yet deaf. I have a friend who complains that the film is great up until this part, because then it becomes just like every other Hollywood film. I completely disagree. Frankie manages to find happiness both in love and work, but he’s still the cheeky bastard he always was. No character in this film gives up their partying ways to become a saint. Instead they realize just like the rest of us who aren’t in  our late teens or early twenties that you have to pace yourself, cause there’s a lot worth sticking around for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5K6pIez5P4

Audrey Hepburn doing a little window shopping during Breakfast at Tiffanys (1961)

For a film to be good, you need a strong script combined with solid acting and directing. Obviously. Then there’s also all those other elements that go into filmmaking; elements that we as audience members often don’t think about as we’re too mesmerized by Vin Diesel kicking butt, Johnny Depp acting like a lunatic pirate or Ryan Gosling breaking hearts.

For a film to truly go from good to great, details like lighting, set design and music are absolutely crucial.   And we can’t forget fashion of course, the wonderful light and fluffy icing on a great film cake!

Since the beginning of cinema, filmmakers have realized  that the right outfit on an actor is an important part of creating iconic characters that resonate with audiences. Film is a dream machine, and so when we mere mortals gaze up onto the screen and see films like Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Flashdance, afterward how can we not want to cut up all of our sweatshirts and try to rock a tiara?

Without further ado here are Friday Film Review’s top five favourite fashion moments in film;

1. Diane Keaton making menswear sexy in Annie Hall (1977)

When you think  about a Woody Allen film you think about the great ensemble casts and razor sharp wit of the dialogue, not the style. And yet with Annie Hall we have one of the  all time greatest moments of fashion in film: the character of Annie may be a flaky wannabe singer/actress, yet  no one can deny that her style is perfect  1970s ‘New York cool’.    One would imagine men’s pants and ties working on a butch lesbian and yet Diane Keaton manages to make the look effortlessly feminine.

2. The entire cast during every single moment of A Single Man (2009)

Anyone who knows even a little about film and fashion can’t be surprised why this film is on the list.  A Single Man is the debut feature of well known fashion director Tom Ford. With a cast of Colin Firth as  a  depressed  university professor mourning the death of his lover  (The role that he REALLY should have won his Oscar for) Julianne Moore as his aging party girl best friend, and Nicholas Hoult as a beautiful young student who just might help Firth  move on with life, the film  has all those three key elements: script,  acting and directing in spades. But what really makes this film is the fashion.  Just like on Mad Men every  suit, jacket and dress is swoon worthy and makes you wish you could time travel back to the 1960s.

3. Sienna Miller as Edie Sedgwick in Factory Girl (2006)

While the film itself was mediocre at best, in Factory Girl Sienna Miller reinforced her status as a fashion icon. There was plenty to envy  about the life of 1960s party girl Edie Sedgwick; she came from a fabulously wealthy family and  made it into the inner circle of pop artist Andy Warhol. And then, of course, there  was that style of hers. Miller brings all of that to the screen with such energy and confidence that you can’t help but want to put on some on  leggings and giant drop earrings, throw on a fur coat and head out for a Saturday night on the town.

4. Kirsten Dunst making fashion royally cool in Marie Antoinette (2006)

It took me awhile to truly appreciate Sofia Coppola’s third feature film as a director. Like her other films Marie Antoinette has some slow moments and as  I’ve admitted before in  this column, I don’t have allot  of patience for slow films.  Yet, from the very first time I saw this film while  on a trip to Paris, I fell head over heels in love with the style.  Contrasting a 17th century bio pic with a  20/21st century indie rock soundtrack? Awesome. Costumes full of lace, bows, furs and vibrant colors that are so appealing you find yourself wishing that it could still be socially acceptable to wear corsets and hoop skirts in your everyday wear. Brilliant.

5. Grace Kelly helps Jimmy Stewart solve murders and looks fabulous while doing it in Rear Window (1954)

Movie stars come and go. But then every now and then there are those elusive  actors and actresses who reach movie god status; no matter how much time goes by they will always be beloved and worshiped. Grace Kelly, the drop dead gorgeous actress who left Hollywood to become a real life princess, rightfully earned her status as a movie god with films like Rear Window.    As the girlfriend of Stewart’s  commitment phobic photographer,  every single moment Kelly is onscreen she is perfectly put together. And with the mid calf dresses with full skirts and shear collars, pearl necklaces and of course topping it all off with red lipstick, makes you immediately want to raid your grandmas closet.