So a few weeks ago now, I had intended to take myself off to a cheesy chick flick which was meant to fill me with nostalgia. While that did all technically happen, I had a gatecrasher. There's something about watching a cringy movie you relate to far too much with your boyfriend. Did I mention it's a Take That musical?
My poor darling had no idea what we were seeing, it was very last minute for him. But even he enjoyed the film!
What possessed me to go see a Take That musical to begin with you ask? Aisling Bea and Jayde Adams. Plain and simple, I love these ladies and I think they are my favourite female comedians. Don't get me wrong though, this movie isn't a massive laugh, sure it has some very funny elements, but it is actually heartbreaking.
Greatest Days, at least in my opinion, is a movie all about nostalgia and ultimately- growing up. We follow our main gal Rachel (Bea) as she is navigating her adult life. Her days are pretty much the same and she's finding joy where she can, but you can see something is troubling her, she's lost her sparkle. She enters a radio competition on a whim to see a band she loved as a teen and wins. This event actually drags up a little trauma for her as it brings with it all the memories she associated with this band, mostly surrounding the 4 girls who were her life at the time.
It is evident from the flashbacks we are seeing that this band were Rachel's safe space. Her neglectful parents, school, boys, her music was her escape from all that. It seems like it was the same for her friends too, so they go to the concert way back when, had the time of their lives, and then no spoilers but a tragic event takes place that tears them apart.
Over 2 decades later, Rach decides to bite the bullet and get the old gals back together to see the band and it works, they all turn up! What we see next as our ladies ultimately miss the reunion concert is that each of our ladies are still wracked with grief and while all successful in their own way, they are all held back and resentful as they filled the void of missing each other with other life events. Kids, marriage, giving up an olympic dream to fall into a food depression, and in Rach's case, refusal to marry her boyfriend of 10 years based on a promise to her best friend when they were kids.
Each lady, after separating viciously, goes home and realises the trip has given them an opportunity to let go, finally, and being with each other again and having fun was enough to give them a new hope on life. We see each lady reach out and grip the life they had neglected for themselves since the tragic event as they start to heal.
A happy ending is then had and the final opportunity to let go and honour someone in the best way is seen. But no spoilers. I cried here though, like a lot.
This movie was stupidly relatable. Those who still have some of their school friends in their adult lives know just quite how daft the situations you find yourself in are. Getting arrested after messing around in a fountain and puking on a policeman's shoes is just the kind of stupid thing we'd all get in trouble for while reliving our youth. I loved that this movie felt so real and really tapped into those emotions, you couldnt help but laugh and those antics and it helped make the tragic event seen later just that extra bit sadder.
Greatest Days is a mixture of heartbreak, humour, both good and bad singing, and young men spontaneously dancing. The coming of age theme is clear though and anyone, not just young women who miss their school friends (me) as they approach adult life, would enjoy and relate to this movie. I wouldnt maybe go out of my way to see the film if you are a die hard Take That fan as it is absolutely nothing to do with them (aside from a cheeky cameo), but I think their music was appropriate for the story being told and as one of the biggest UK boybands it was just right.
I would 1000% watch this again, maybe alone this time, as it has easily become my guilty pleasure and could replace a boring old rom-com any time. To my ladies who watched Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging at sleepovers with your mates, same vibes just all grown up.
I'm going to give Greatest Days an 8/10. It was lovely. The cast were all brilliant and having Bea as the star was a great choice, she needs to be a leading lady more often, the gal has talent!
I seriously urge you to go and get your cheesy nostalgia fix wherever you can, this is such a beautiful film and is bound to make you cry, but in a good way!
Anyone else seen this gem? Leave a comment on my socials!
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