317. Funny Cow; movie review

FUNNY COW
Cert 15
100 mins
BBFC advice: Contains very strong language, domestic violence, strong sex references, suicide

I failed to get around to Funny Cow when it was at the cinema but I did watch a couple of interviews with its star - the excellent Maxine Peake.
Peake revealed that her performance as a woman trying to break into the man's world of social club comedy was based on Marti Caine, 
After years on the northern circuit, Caine's big breakthrough came in 1975 when she won the talent show, New Faces, beating.... Lenny Henry and Victoria Wood.
She seemed to be a humble person and was very popular but I have to confess that I didn't find her funny.
Ditto, Peake's character in Adrian Shergold's Funny Cow. In fact, she has very few minutes on stage and then her jokes made me cringe.
There has been much debate about Funny Cow's use of racist humour, bad language and misogyny and its makers and Peake have defended them by saying they are true to its setting.
They are right in that assertion but, sadly, the only people who will find the gags funny are those who still have 1970s sensibilities.
Therefore, not a single joke during Funny Cow made me laugh. Indeed, the anticipated mirth was replaced by pity for Peake's character.
That said she totally convinces as the woman trying to find herself after being beaten firstly by her father (Stephen Graham) and then her husband (Tony Pitts).
As she struggles through the daily grind of hopelessness amid poverty, she has a light bulb moment when she sees an old-fashioned comic (Alun Armstrong) go through his feeble act.
Funny Cow recreates the 70s to a tee. The back streets and terraced houses with no bath reminded me of my grandparents' home.
It also took me back to the days when I was given a Vimto and bag of crisps while my grandad enjoyed a pint at the working men's club.
However, it is a movie dominated by bullying and sadness and, while it may reflect truth about the 60s and 70s, I prefer not to remember them like that.

Reasons to watch: No-holds barred reflection of the 1970s
Reasons to avoid: If you have rose-tinted memories of those times

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 6/10

Director quote - Adrian Shergold "Maxine (Peake) had talked to Tony Pitts (writer) about Marti Caine and was quite obsessed by that character and so she was always going to play that part and had to play that part. She is an extraordinary actress."

The big question - Were the 70s really THAT grim?

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