I've just finished watching this 1997 movie starring Robert Carlyle for the
second time in my life.
It's very much a "feel good" film, being the story of six unemployed
"average blokes" deciding to earn some money by learning to be and
performing as strippers. There are subplots for all six main characters with
Robert's character needing money to pay his child support back payments in
order to be allowed to keep contact with his son, one of the guys being
terrified that his overweight body will revolt his audience, and a gay
relationship forming between two of the dancers and being easily accepted by the
rest.
I shalln't go further into the story or reiterate any of the information
given by the other noders here, but I will talk about how the film affects me.
The other time I watched this film was the last time my grown-up family was
actively happy together, as a family. We all watched it together - my
then almost four year old daughter, my seven year old son, my now ex husband and
myself. I kept shuddering every time someone said a bad word, and rolling my
eyes at my ex, and trying to answer questions raised in my children's minds by
the film in the ad breaks.
And smiling.
A lot.
By the end of the film all four of us were cheering, and when it ended we
all got up and danced madly around the room to Hot Chocolate's Sexy Thing.
We were all laughing like idiots and it was wonderful.
It's a great film. Watch it.