User Reviews

OK, so the plot is on the predictable side, and doesn't really go anywhere that you wouldn't expect. Nor does this film have any profound message. In fact, it's a piece of lighthearted fluff.

But the acting is very good (particularly the debutants), and the re-enactment characters are so well drawn that I found myself squirming for large parts of the film. For I actually do swing a sword around for a hobby, and I even know one or two of the folks in the background. My hat comes off to the writers - their characterisations of some of the people one meets in the "scene" is terrifyingly accurate. Yes, these people are really out there...

SPOILER. One part of the film departs from any "reality" (reality whilst playing 'cowboys and indians with swords... hmmm). At the end of this film the antagonist (a non re-enactor) is handed a sword and encouraged to duel for the affections of the leading lady. I would just like to re-assure everyone out there that... no damn chance. No way is anyone handed a sword and allowed to fight for real. We have a little too much respect for our skins than that. It's a small quibble, but it does make the "scene" appear a touch more lunatic than it actually is (although the fact that the antagonist, holding a sword for the first time, outfights the 'trained' hero did make me smile). Of course, I do understand the sequence for dramatic purposes (although I'd have found it better if Jessica Hynes had fought for herself).

As for the comedy... well, the owl wins hands down, both whilst alive and during it's ship burial.

Watching this took me back twenty years in a heartbeat. From that first scene, as the mobile phone goes off. You'd always have something wrong with the otherwise impressive shield wall.... Dayglow orange flashes on the shield, the bloke with the trainers....

The Viking wedding, shown in flashback, with Barbara (Anne Reid) looking very awkward. Um, yes. Remember that one.

But really, this is about the ability (or lack) of people to change. Richard (Eddie Marsan) is too busy being what what he's been for probably twenty years. As Cath (Jessica Hynes) tells him, he's too busy being Julian's (Ewen Bremner) best mate, and as Julian still lives with his mum... Cath on the other hand gives the appearance of having moved on from battle re-enactments, though its more she got fed up of being turned into a camp follower.

We follow through Richard's painful process of attempts to win Cath back, as he tries to go back to when they met, tries to spy out the opposition - Gary the PE teacher (Paul Nicholls), tries to challenge him to single combat, and then misses son Martin's (Joseph Hamilton) play.

At the same time, Julian is trying to socialise online with fellow Trekkies, setting up a disastrous meeting with Kim (Matthew Leighton), but accidentally meeting Maggie (Bronagh Gallagher) in the process.

Caught in the middle is Martin, bullied at school, falling for Emily (Chloe Hesar) in the process, getting fed up with his dad's obsessions, but ultimately pushing him to the exact place he needs to be.

It all comes together in the final section, with a great battle against the rival battle group of Normans, where Gary turns up, finally humiliated in a one-to-one combat with Richard.

The overall story arc is predictable, but the journey is well plotted, scripted and for some of us, squirmingly funny to watch.

Let's have more of these!

Faintheart is very believable the characters are almost to close for comfort. The life of Richard is boring underpaid and full of self important idiots like his boss, his other life is fulfilling and full of friends unfortunately his wife was being squeezed out by rush to do both. Richards son Martin is being bullied at school because of his fathers hobby changing his loyalty to shame until a girl at school shows interest in him and the hobby. The fight to save his family shakes Richard and causes him to reassess what is most important to him, Cath and his son are worth the fight although the battle is not as straightforward as he'd hoped. The re-enactors are seemingly a collection of what some would call "social misfits" perhaps looking from another angle- individualists not afraid of being separate from the herd, they share common traits in that their jobs are like Richard's dull and low paid their hobby escapism- better than crime. Features Richard Ridings from Eric the Viking as a bin man/wild axe wilding Viking perhaps the last avatar of Thor- shrunken to human form thoughtful yet full of fun. A great film worthy of watching in turns sad and funny.

Richard is a DIY store employee whose leisure life centres on Viking battle re-enactment. He embarrasses his son Martin, and his wife Cath has got fed up: Richard has moved out into fellow re-enactor and nerd Julian's home (where he lives with his mother), and Cath has moved Martin's PE teacher in. Richard loves Cath and wants to win her back, but is he too much of a loser.

This mildly original but fairly predictable romcom succeeds, largely because of winning performances from Eddie Marsan, Jessica Hynes and Ewan Bremner as Richard, Cath and Julian.

Much of the humour will appeal to nerds (there is a debate over who would be the better girlfriend, She-Hulk or Wonder Woman), and the central characters are all likeable. The location work in and around Ludlow is attractive, and the movie is a gentle and very British effort.

With extras and crew recruited from Myspace, it is bewildering to note that this enjoyable movie didn't get a general cinema release in Britain.