The Full Monty (1997)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.