| Mad About Mambo | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John Forte |
| Written by | John Forte |
| Produced by | David P. Kelly |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ashley Rowe |
| Edited by | David Martin |
| Music by | Richard Hartley |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | United International Pictures[2] |
Release date |
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Running time | 92 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Languages |
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| Box office | $65,283 (domestic)[4] |
Mad About Mambo is a 2000 romantic comedy film written and directed by John Forte. It stars William Ash, Keri Russell and Brian Cox.
Plot
A boy obsessed with football finds his life changing dramatically once he adds a little Samba. Danny (Ash) plays on the football team at the all-boys Catholic school he attends in Belfast. Danny's three best friends, who also play on the team, all have different ambitions for their lives. Mickey (Maclean Stewart) wants to be a fashion designer so he can get rich and date supermodels. Gary (Russell Smith) wants to become a magician so he can get rich and meet beautiful women (and presumably saw them in half). And Spike (Joe Rea) likes to beat people up, so he wants to become a mercenary and do it for a living. But Danny dreams of making football his life.
The players Danny most admires are South Americans, such as Pele and Carlos Riga, who he feels have a special rhythm and flexibility. Wanting to add some of these qualities to his own game, Danny has an idea: he'll take Samba lessons, in the hope that dancing like a South American will help him play like a South American. To the surprise of himself and his friends, Danny turns out to be a pretty good Latin dancer and finds himself smitten with a student in his dance class, Lucy (Russell). However, Lucy happens to have a boyfriend, who is a fierce competitor on one of Danny's rival teams. The film also stars Brian Flanagan who plays an inspiring cameo role along with members of Celbridge Town Football Club.
Cast
- William Ash as Danny Mitchell
- Keri Russell as Lucy McLoughlin
- Brian Cox as Sidney McLoughlin
- Maclean Stewart as Mickey
- Joe Rea as Spike
- Russell Smith as Gary
- Theo Fraser Steele as Oliver Parr
- Tim Loane as Brother McBride
- Jim Norton as Brother Xavier
- Rosaleen Linehan as Mrs Burns
- Aingeal Grehan as Mrs Mitchell
- Gavin O'Connor as Seamus Mitchell
- Alan McKee as Frank Mallon
- Julian Littman as Rudi Morelli
- Daniel Caltagirone as Carlos Rega
Jackie Fullerton also makes a cameo as himself.
Production
Despite being set in Belfast, the majority of filming took place in Dublin. Filming began in May 1998.[5]
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 57% based on reviews from 14 critics.[6][7] John Walker, in Halliwell's Film, Video & DVD Guide, wrote: 'Oddly titled corny romance - it has nothing to do with the mambo - that is frequently implausible but gets by on the charm of its two stars.' [8]
References
- 1 2 3 "Mad About Mambo (2000)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ↑ "Mad About Mambo (2000)". BBFC. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- ↑ Gates, Anita (30 April 2000). "A Summer of Little Action, Lots of Love and Laughs". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
- ↑ "Mad About Mambo". Box Office Mojo.
- ↑ "Mad About Mambo | the Irish Film & Television Network".
- ↑ "Mad About Mambo (2000)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ↑ Koehler, Robert (4 August 2000). "Mad About Mambo". Variety.
- ↑ Walker, John, Halliwell's Film, Video & DVD Guide 2004, London: HarperCollinsEntertainment, p. 523.
External links