The Commitments

Based on the 1987 novel by Roddy Doyle, director Alan Parker's story of the rise and fall of a Dublin R&B band is brought to life by a cast of unknowns, with passion, soul, and a superb soundtrack of classic American songs. Robert Arkins stars as would-be impresario Jimmy Rabbitte, who decides to create an R&B band in Dublin out of working-class singers and musicians he scouts from the streets. Jimmy tells them: "The Irish are the blacks of Europe. Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland. North Dubliners are the blacks of Dublin." Set and shot in the slums of Dublin, where poverty and unemployment are endemic, the film has a shaggy quality, buttressed by salty and witty language, as this volatile mix of personalities clashes offstage but comes together to create amazing music onstage (the actors do their own singing and playing, adding to the film's authenticity). Andrew Strong is a revelation as the ruffian lead singer (he went on to a solo career), guitarist Glen Hansard later starred in the 2007 hit Once, and Maria Doyle Kennedy and Colm Meaney are able costars. It's one of the great films about the creation of a band (and its ultimate demise), featuring a bestselling soundtrack that spawned a follow-up album and a concert tour. Bowing on Blu-ray, extras include audio commentary by director Parker, cast and crew interviews, behind-the-scenes featurettes, photo galleries, and a booklet. Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)