Release Date (UK) -1st April 2011
Certificate (UK) – 15
Country – UK
Runtime – 114 mins
Director – Nick Hamm
Starring - Ben Barnes, Robert Sheehan, Krysten Ritter
Killing Bono, despite it’s title, is not really a story about the U2 legend himself. The films plot tells the real life story of the McCormick brothers, Neil (Barnes) and Ivan (Sheehan), who went to the same school as Paul Hewson (Martin McCann), but formed their own band instead. Whilst Paul’s band find international success and Paul becomes Bono, the McCormicks’ band struggle to get gigs or sell any records, and they become insanely jealous of their former schoolmates popularity and U2′s success.
Based on the book by Neil McCormick, Killing Bono‘s major flaw is its extended runtime; at 90 minutes this could have been a perfectly sweet and snappy comedy, but instead it drags out the story over two hours. The book to film adaptation is not a smooth transition, as the plot dwells over the tale of the brothers far too long, and quickly starts to bore with its repetitiveness as the boys fail to become famous over and over again. A sub plot involving Neil desperately borrowing money from an Irish gangster to fund the band without telling Ivan could easily have been cut and solved this problem. Whilst this plot does provide the film with some conventional tension and negativity, there isn’t really enough comedy from the threats of Irish gangster Danny Machin (Stanley Townsend) and his thuggish son Plugger (Diarmuid Noyes) to make it worthwhile. However the 2 hour runtime doesn’t mar the film completely, and most viewers will probably enjoy this particular dramatic sideline.
Elsewhere in the film the pacing is mostly spot on, telling an enthralling and hilarious story. As Neil makes bad decision after bad decision that send the brothers band spiralling downwards, you can’t help but feel sorry for Ivan, unaware of Neil’s repeated refusal of offers of help from Bono. The songs and the bands dismal gigs are also often hilariously awful, from their decision to have a gig in a subdued strip joint to Neils’ horrifying choice of lyrics about rape. When they move to London to try and crack the big time, neighbour Gloria (Ritter) provides a romantic interest for Neil, but the chemistry between the two actors falls unconvincingly flat.
The supporting cast is one of Killing Bono‘s most redeeming features. With his last performance British legend Pete Postlethwaite steals every scene he is in as Neil and Ivan’s flamboyantly homosexual landlord, inviting them to wild parties and parading around with a string of almost teen-age boyfriends. Peter Serafonicwz also gets a lot more screen time than the trailer suggests, and is given plenty of time to demonstrate his great comedic talent playing record producer Hammond. Martin McCann also has an uncanny resemblance to Bono, and nails the suaveness of stardom perfectly. These side parts aside, Ben Barnes plays the frustratingly irritating Neil convincingly, and its good to see him move away from the perfect heartthrob hero role, whilst Sheehan also has a great range of facial expressions to show Ivan’s growing anger at his brother, and they both manage to play the part of musicians perfectly plausibly.
Technically there are no great achievements or beauty in Killing Bono, Nick Hamm is mostly known for his work on 2001′s The Hole so this is no great surprise. However the film is still worth a watch, a thoroughly interesting take on the music world. Anyone who has ever tried to make it in a band, or had to put up with friends or family trying to crack into the business, will empathise with the McCormicks situation completely. A funny and enjoyable light hearted romp through the 1980′s music scene, Killing Bono is a delightful watch at times.
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