FILM REVIEW: MILITARY WIVES (12A) ESP RATING: 4/5

I laughed, I cried, and I sub-consciously sang out loud – so I’d like to apologise to those sat next to me in the cinema!

I totally relate to Jude Law’s character in The Holiday. During one scene in the festive classic he states: ‘I cry all the time. A good book, a great film, a birthday card, I weep.’

Being a self-confessed ‘weeper’ – I had a feeling that Military Wives would open the ‘flood gates’ – and I wasn’t wrong.

Much like his classic from more than twenty years ago, these two movies have a lot in common – a rise-and-fall true story – but instead of ‘stripping’ we have ‘singing’.

This is how the group of military wives choose to distract themselves when their spouses lose communication while serving in Afghanistan.

What I admired most about this movie is we got a real sense of the struggles of those related to the heroes fighting in wars – the people that may often be overlooked.

You’ll likely remember the real-life Military Wives Choir who took the Christmas Number One in 2011 with ‘Wherever You Are’ – but I doubt many will know the details that lead to this happening.

So yes, this may be highly recommended but personally I felt Military Wives also played it a little too safe.

I get it, when you’re making a movie about real people alongside such a difficult subject, you don’t want to risk offending anyone. However, with the characters not being as larger-than-life as those in The Full Monty, I fear this film won’t stay in my mind as much in comparison.

What we have here may not be a British classic – only time will tell – but it still makes for a great night out at the cinema nonetheless.

Go sing your hearts out.

Rating: 4/5

Mikey Clarke

Cast: Kristin Scott Thomas, Sharon Horgan, Jason Flemyng, Teresa Mahoney, Lara Rossi & Amy James-Kelly

Running Time: 1 Hr 53 Mins

Director: Peter Cattaneo

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