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Cemetery Junction

Cemetery Junction

NOW PLAYING IN CINEMASOUT ON DVD: Nov 2010

A 1970s-set comedy-drama from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, creators of TV's The Office and Extras. Centers on three young working-class men from Reading, England, who spend their time joking, drinking, fighting and chasing girls. Freddie (Christian Cooke), however, feels there may be more to life than being stuck in a small town.

Also stars Ralph Fiennes, Emily Watson and Gervais himself.

Starring Christian Cooke, Tom Hughes, Jack Doolan, Felicity Jones, Ralph Fiennes, Emily Watson, Ricky Gervais

Directed by Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant (TV's 'The Office', 'Extras')

Written by Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant

Drama, Comedy | 1hr 35mins | Rated (M) | Contains offensive language & sexual references | Origin: UK

Flicks review

  • The Office and Extras are two of the best television shows of recent times – the former has indeed become a classic of televisual history, propelling a snub-nosed fat guy to international stardom. But the often-overlooked half of the creative genius is a ‘goggle-eyed freak’ called Stephen Merchant. After sidestepping the dire The Invention of Lying, which suggested the well had run dry for Gervais, Merchant returns here to rejoin his directing partner and to prove just how dependable and skilful they can be as a team.

    It’s evident that Cemetery Junction combines the two things they do best – empathy for the ordinary working bloke and a romantic disposition – delivering the audience an unabashedly feel-good and identifiable crowdpleaser. The good-hearted story weaves between hilarity and moments of heartbreak (take, for example, the callous send-off to a long-term employee), ensuring that the viewer can’t help but be swept up in the dramedy.

    Visually, the movie is beautiful. It’s unlikely that a 1970s Reading looked quite this picture-perfect; sunny days, quaint cottages, chic discos. The soundtrack is top-notch, featuring vintage Elton John, Roxy Music, T-Rex, Slade, Bowie and Zeppelin. Sashaying through this golden-hued nostalgia-rama are three hugely likeable leads. They are said to have auditioned as a team and their natural camaraderie shines through.

    Is there anything new, cutting-edge or daring about Cemetery Junction? Well, not really. If you’re looking for narrative surprise or formal invention, you’re barking up the wrong tree. But Gervais-Merchant’s feature debut is rock-solid. It’s a sweet, warm comedy-drama, refreshingly free of cynicism. Miles away from the drab office or the functional studio backlot, their radiant Cemetery Junction is somewhere you’ll love to visit.

    By Andrew Hedley, Flicks.co.nz

 Our Rating       4

The Peoples voice

  •  5

    I wouldnt have chosen this movie to see but a friend recommened it to me as a feel good movie and i loved it. Can't wait to buy the soundtrack and the part with Snork up on stage singing at the winners dinner was priceless.

    By angela

  • mmyeah ... it's ok.

     2

    Nothing wrong with this film, but nothing amazing neither. It's pleasant, but really doesn't need to be watched on the big screen.
    Friends and I went to watch this instead of MICMACS because some couldn't be bothered with subtitles ... dont make the same mistake. I have since seen MICMACS and it is a million time better than CEMETERY JUNCTION, although quite different but both comedies. There's just no comparison.

    By freshdude

  • ROLLING LAUGHTER

     4

    Didn't stop laughing from the start to the finish... A must see.... Snork is adorable, I totally agree Fran!!!

    By Shannon

  •  4

    Brilliant. Perfect blend of comedy and drama. While it deals with familiarity it feels fresh with a great script, likeable characters and nice direction. An awesome soundtrack helps too, anything with Zeppelin's Rain Song is fine by me. Ralph Fiennes proves once more he is the man.

    By Michael

  • Go, and remember what it was like.

     3

    Nothing new or cutting edge as Flicks review points out, but never-the-less, very enjoyable, if somewhat nostalgic.

    By brain

  • Charming & compelling

     5

    This is a really good movie. It's slow-ish I guess, but the characters quickly become very well drawn and very engaging. Half way through you can't wait to see how it pans out. Shows another string to the Gervais/Merchant bow for sure. It also has a very unique, charming slant in the way the young characters relate to their parents. Highly recommended.

    By Adrien

  • A wonderful glimpse of the 70s

     4

    This is a great little movie. A fairly slight story line -- coming of age of 3 young guys in Reading ("the town that might have missed the swinging 60s") in 1973. Fantastic dialogue and some wonderful vignettes. Acting and general ambience of the movie is excellent.

    By Wednesday Loafers

  •  5

    Fabulous! Coudl sit through it again tomorrow

    By NannyOgg

  • One of those movies you can relate to!

     4

    This is a film I would probably not have chosen to go to, but because we had free tickets to a preview screening we went, and thoroughly enjoyed. Everything there from the 70s - the cars, the clothes, the hairdos, the "attitudes". Great acting from the young ones, all new actors to me, but with great potential. The storyline was real and achieved its goal of presenting the difficulties the young faced (and still do) in escaping the lives that they have grown up with and are expected to follow. Well done Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. I'll be looking out for your next film. And bring back Snork - he's adorable!

    By Fran

 Collective Voice    0000000000004.00

Your review has been posted, you have spoken, and for that we thank you. – Ed.

Tell us all that is right or wrong with this flick:

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Press Reviews

  • Christchurch Press (Margaret Agnew)

    3 3 out of 5 stars

    If you're expecting cringe-comedy similar to Gervais and Merchant's sitcoms, there's a little of that, but Cemetery Junction is an unexpectedly sentimental coming-of-age drama.
    Click to read the full review

  • NZ Herald (Peter Calder)

    3 3 out of 5 stars

    Plodding and formulaic
    Click to read the full review

  • Total Film (UK)

    4 4 out of 5 stars

    Fade up on a sun-glazed rural panorama – England aglow before the blissed-out swell of Vaughan Williams… Cut to a languid montage of small-town splendour (shallow valley, woozy village green, chugging double-decker)… Then, from bucolic idyll to the graft and grime of daily life, as Tom Hughes’ cocky upstart Bruce clocks off his factory job to meet booze buddies Snork (Jack Doolan, snaggled, loveable) and Freddie (Christian Cooke, dashing but conflicted).
    Click to read the full review

  • View Auckland (Matt Turner)

    4 4 out of 5 stars

    Impressively directed and sharply written, this is an emotionally engaging drama with terrific performances from rising stars Christian Cooke and Tom Hughes.
    Click to read the full review

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