---
title: "The Full Monty"
year: 1997
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-full-monty"
fi1m_id: "the-full-monty"
imdb_id: "tt0119164"
tmdb_id: 9427
wikidata_id: "Q775970"
fi1m_score: 81
critics_score: 81
critics_reviews: 7
published: "2026-09-13"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:53.146184+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Full Monty (1997)

Directed by Peter Cattaneo · 1h 31m · MPA R · Comedy

## Identity

The Full Monty

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-full-monty
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-full-monty
- **IMDb ID:** tt0119164
- **TMDB ID:** 9427
- **Wikidata ID:** Q775970
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119164/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9427, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q775970

**Fi1m score: 81** · Critics 81 from 7 reviews

*In a sentence:* Taking your clothes off for money looks less frightening than telling the other men how you feel

> Peter Cattaneo’s comedy is warm, funny and unusually considerate of its unemployed would-be strippers, with Robert Carlyle leading a deft ensemble. It is too quick to cheer us up about hardship, but the affection feels earned.

## Synopsis

In Sheffield, a group of unemployed steelworkers decide to form a striptease act. Gary “Gaz” Schofield (Robert Carlyle) is among the men turning to an unlikely source of income, alongside Dave Horsefall (Mark Addy), Gerald Arthur Cooper (Tom Wilkinson) and Barrington “Horse” Mitchell (Paul Barber). Preparing to take their clothes off means confronting what they think about their bodies and what being out of work has done to their confidence. Their home lives complicate a scheme that already requires them to put their pride at risk. Working together means accepting help from other men with difficulties of their own.

## Review

Peter Cattaneo’s *The Full Monty* takes a striptease scheme seriously enough to make it funny. Its unemployed Sheffield steelworkers need money, but they also need something to do together that does not begin and end with admitting defeat. We recommend it warmly for the care it gives these men and the ease with which its cast makes their company enjoyable. Simon Beaufoy’s screenplay understands how easily a joke can become a way of avoiding an uncomfortable conversation. That understanding serves the comedy better than its rather tidy treatment of unemployment.

Robert Carlyle’s Gaz gives the enterprise the necessary forward push without becoming a salesman for the film’s good intentions. There is enough self-mockery in the performance to keep his determination from getting tiresome. Mark Addy, as Dave, makes physical embarrassment matter without asking us to pity him, while Tom Wilkinson’s Gerald brings a useful stiffness to this company. Their differences keep the group from becoming a row of interchangeable comic turns. Cattaneo lets them be awkward without treating awkwardness as a character defect.

We were moved by the men’s unease about their bodies, particularly the discomfort Addy brings to Dave. A comedy about stripping can get a cheap laugh just by putting an unathletic man in front of an audience; here, his awareness of being looked at matters. Beaufoy gives the men home lives that make their pride comprehensible, even when it gets in their way. That helps the embarrassment remain recognisable even when the scheme itself is far-fetched.

John de Borman’s cinematography and Gottlieb’s production design keep the Sheffield setting credible without making it a display of misery. That matters in a film asking us to laugh at a plan born of having no work. The physical comedy has an everyday awkwardness: ordinary bodies attempting something that demands a confidence their owners do not possess. Cattaneo is good at letting us notice the incongruity without encouraging us to feel superior.

Editors Nick Moore and David Freeman keep the exchanges brisk enough for the jokes to register without pressing each one for a second laugh. At 91 minutes, the film has little room for waste, although the later stretch loses some of the early urgency. Anne Dudley’s music helps sustain the warmth between comic business and hurt feelings. We occasionally wanted Cattaneo to leave a little more discomfort unresolved, rather than make quite so sure that the evening remained pleasant.

The larger weakness is that getting the men together sometimes seems enough of an answer to having no work. Beaufoy is alert to the shame unemployment can bring, but less searching about what a strip act cannot fix. Working-class ensemble comedies often have this trouble: the shared task becomes so enjoyable that the circumstances requiring it receive less attention. Here, the affection can make hardship seem more manageable than the film has any right to suggest. Watch it with company, with a little patience for its eagerness to cheer everyone up.

*Fi1m score 81, published 13 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to The Full Monty, finding a funny, tender comedy that gives its unemployed steelworkers more to worry about than taking their clothes off. Praise centres on the ensemble, particularly Robert Carlyle, and on the attention paid to pride, home life and male vulnerability. The reviews repeatedly pick out the camaraderie and comic set-pieces, with Peter Cattaneo’s sympathetic handling allowing the social hardship to matter without overwhelming the humour.

The differences are mostly over how much substance and momentum sit beneath that warmth. Time Out enjoys the humour but finds the film less convincing intellectually. Collider praises the ensemble chemistry while questioning uneven subplots and occasional melodrama. Eye for Film offers the clearest reservation, finding it less funny than its reputation suggests and arguing that the final third coasts. The spread is largely between enthusiasm and qualified affection, rather than outright rejection.

## Straight answers

**Is The Full Monty worth watching?**

*The Full Monty* is worth watching, and we scored it 81: a warm, funny comedy about unemployed Sheffield steelworkers forming a striptease act, with Robert Carlyle leading a deft ensemble. It is too quick to cheer us up about hardship, but the affection feels earned. Watch it with company and a little patience for its eagerness to make everyone feel better.

**How long is The Full Monty, and what is it rated?**

*The Full Monty* runs 1h 31m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a comedy film.

**Where can I watch The Full Monty in the US?**

*The Full Monty* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is The Full Monty, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Full Monty* is not violent or frightening, but it carries a UK 15 certificate for a reason: it is a comedy about men taking their clothes off for money, with the language and nudity that implies. The discomfort is embarrassment rather than threat, centred on the men's unease about their bodies. It is for teenagers of fifteen and over, not younger children.

**How does The Full Monty compare to Brassed Off?**

*The Full Monty* is the lighter and more forgiving of the two; [*Brassed Off*](https://film.one/film/brassed-off) keeps its anger nearer the surface and is the more moving as a result. Both follow a working community finding purpose in performing, but Cattaneo's comedy is quicker to make hardship feel manageable, while Mark Herman's film stumbles on awkward changes of tone. Choose the former for an easy evening, the latter if you want the hurt to stay in view.

**What should I watch after The Full Monty?**

After *The Full Monty*, try [*Brassed Off*](https://film.one/film/brassed-off) (1996, Fi1m 79): Another working community finds purpose in performing, with anger nearer the surface. Then [*Pride*](https://film.one/film/pride) (2014, Fi1m 82): Group solidarity, awkward introductions and jokes that leave room for political anger.

### Reviews we read (11)

- **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (5/5): The critic praises director Peter Cattaneo's highly engaging, poignant and hilarious comedy drama about unemployed Sheffield steelworkers forming a strip act. It highlights the superb ensemble cast and memorable moments such as the dole queue dance routine. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-367tcp/the-full-monty/)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (85/100, inferred): The critic finds it a lovable comedy about unemployed Sheffield steelworkers who form a striptease act out of desperation, giving gravity to the material through the characters' pride and home lives. It is placed in the tradition of bittersweet British working-class films like Brassed Off, with strong performances especially from Robert Carlyle. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-full-monty-1997)
- **The Guardian** (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an oddly innocent and jolly comedy about unemployed steelworkers becoming strippers, praising its tender approach to male vulnerability and camaraderie rather than raunchiness. It is hailed as the best British sitcom in years for its feel-good solidarity, comic efficiency and celebration of teamwork. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/1997/aug/29/1)
- **Variety** (80/100, inferred): The critic calls it bright and sassy, a treat that is small but muscular, about gawky unemployed men launching a striptease act, with inventive marketing potential for solid business. It notes the director's nonjudgmental approach and the strong ensemble, especially Robert Carlyle's lead performance leading to standing-ovation moments. [Read](https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/the-full-monty-2-1117341370/)
- **Time Out**, TJ (70/100, inferred): The review describes how the film turns feel-bad clichés on their head as unemployed men seek self-respect through stripping, praising Carlyle's assured self-deprecating humour and the director's handling of incongruity while noting it does not fully convince intellectually. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-full-monty)
- **Empire**, Deborah Brown: The central joke of unathletic Englishmen stripping lands well, with strong character work and original comic touches like the DSS rehearsal scene. It positions the film as another solid low-budget British crowd-pleaser. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/full-monty-review/)
- **The Independent**: The film uses broad comedy to frame post-industrial deprivation as a gender issue and explores men's relationships to their bodies. It praises the uproarious set-pieces and sensitive handling of emotional and physical nakedness. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/phwoarr-cop-a-load-of-this-1248192.html)
- **The New York Times**, Janet Maslin (NYT Critic’s Pick): The review praises the film as an irresistible, brightly acted and casually hilarious tale of unemployed steelworkers turning to stripping, with nonchalant humor, serious social underpinnings and a wonderfully incongruous edge. It highlights the splendid feature debut of director Peter Cattaneo and writer Simon Beaufoy. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/13/movies/jobless-broke-men-you-can-always-strip.html)
- **Total Film**: Despite sharing elements with Brassed Off, the film is an engaging light-hearted lark with poignant moments, excellent performances and a spirit-lifting finale. It singles out the witty screenplay and raucous strip scene. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-full-monty-review/)
- **Collider**, Elisa Guimarães (B+): The critic finds the film a beautiful and funny tale about finding community and happiness amid hardship, praising its heartfelt screenplay, comedic timing, and ensemble chemistry. They single out the film's focus on shared suffering and camaraderie for praise while criticizing uneven subplot exploration, occasional melodrama, and directorial choices. [Read](https://collider.com/the-full-monty-movie-review/)
- **Eye for Film**, Keith Dudhnath (60/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a gentle, heart-warming comedy that is enjoyable but not as funny as its hype suggested, with strong performances especially from Robert Carlyle. The main complaint is that the final third coasts and feels lackadaisical once the setup is complete. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-full-monty-film-review-by-keith-dudhnath)

## Details

- **Director:** Peter Cattaneo
- **Director:** Peter Cattaneo
- **Writer:** Simon Beaufoy
- **Cinematography:** John de Borman
- **Editor:** David Freeman, Nick Moore
- **Music:** Anne Dudley
- **Production design:** Max Gottlieb
- **Costume design:** Jill Taylor
- **Producer:** Uberto Pasolini
- **Cast:** Robert Carlyle as Gary "Gaz" Schofield; Mark Addy as Dave Horsefall; William Snape as Nathan Schofield; Steve Huison as Lomper; Tom Wilkinson as Gerald Arthur Cooper; Paul Barber as Barrington "Horse" Mitchell; Hugo Speer as Guy; Lesley Sharp as Jean Horsefall
- **Runtime:** 1h 31m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 13 August 1997
- **Genres:** Comedy
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 1997); [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Winner, 1997); [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 1997)
- **Budget:** $4 million
- **Box office:** $258 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6bjW9OwSQc

## Where to watch in the US

- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $4.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-13.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 1998: Best Director (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated); Best Original Musical or Comedy Score (won)
- European Film Award for Best Film 1997: European Film Award for Best Film (won)
- European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film 1997: European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film (won)

## If you liked this

- *Brassed Off* (1996), Fi1m 79: Another working community finds purpose in performing, with anger nearer the surface. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/brassed-off.md)
- *Pride* (2014), Fi1m 82: Group solidarity, awkward introductions and jokes that leave room for political anger. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/pride.md)
- *Shall We Dance?* (1996): A Japanese office worker risks embarrassment for the pleasure of learning to dance.
- *The Band's Visit* (2007): Stranded musicians discover how much companionship can begin with an awkward conversation.
- *The Firemen's Ball* (1967): For a less forgiving look at communal pride and organised public embarrassment.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-full-monty