--- title: "The Full Monty: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-full-monty/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-full-monty" critics_score: 81 critics_reviews: 7 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): what the critics said Critics' score 81 from 7 reviews: 6 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. 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. ## Radio Times — Alan Jones Rating 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 the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-367tcp/the-full-monty/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 27 August 1997. 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 the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-full-monty-1997) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 29 August 1997. 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 the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/1997/aug/29/1) ## Variety Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 11 August 1997. 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 the review](https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/the-full-monty-2-1117341370/) ## Time Out — TJ Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. 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 the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-full-monty) ## Empire — Deborah Brown 1 January 2000. 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 the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/full-monty-review/) ## The Independent 30 August 1997. 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 the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/phwoarr-cop-a-load-of-this-1248192.html) ## The New York Times — Janet Maslin Rating NYT Critic’s Pick. 13 August 1997. 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 the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/13/movies/jobless-broke-men-you-can-always-strip.html) ## Total Film 29 August 1997. 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 the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-full-monty-review/) ## Collider — Elisa Guimarães Rating B+. 14 June 2023. 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 the review](https://collider.com/the-full-monty-movie-review/) ## Eye for Film — Keith Dudhnath Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 26 February 2006. 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 the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-full-monty-film-review-by-keith-dudhnath) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-full-monty.md