There's Only One Jimmy Grimble

2000

1h 46m

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

187

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7 Images

Comedy

Jimmy Grimble is a shy Manchester school boy. At school he is constantly being bullied by the other kids, and at home he has to face his mother's new boyfriend. However, through football, and some special boots, he manages to gain the confidence to succeed and leads his school football team towards the final of the local schools cup.

Directors

John Hay

Writers

Rik Carmichael(screenplay by)

John Hay(screenplay by)

Simon Mayle(screenplay by)

Stars

Lewis McKenzie

Jane Lapotaire

Gina McKee

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Videos1

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Photos7

Top cast

Jimmy Grimble

Alice Brewer

Donna Grimble

Eric Wirral

Johnny Two Dogs

Walkway Kid

Psycho

'Gorgeous' Gordon Burley

Harry

Sara

Crane

The Cat

Elvis

Headmaster

Governor 1

Governor 2

Ken Burley

Colin

Directors

John Hay

Writers

Rik Carmichael(screenplay by)

John Hay(screenplay by)

Simon Mayle(screenplay by)

All cast & crew

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User reviews1

Review

Featured review

7/10

Do you believe? There's Only One Jimmy Grimble is a very simple film of whimsy and football, a tale of a young 15 year old Manchester misfit who learns some life lessons when he encounters a strange old homeless dear who gives him a pair of magical old football boots. So yes, boys own fanciful stuff for sure, but it has such a warm heart, is loaded with dry Lancastrian wit, and threaded together with such an affection for the sport and teenage growing pains, that's it's impossible to dislike. The cast list is impressive, with Ray Winstone, Robert Carlyle, Gina McKee, Ben Miller and Jane Lapotaire keeping the ball up for the adults, while in the youngsters half we have Lewis McKenzie as Jimmy scoring well by being naturally uneasy in front of the camera, and Samia Smith has the required charm and feistiness to make the tricky "girlfriend" role work very well. Jimmy Grimble versus The Psychopaths! There's good football action for the footie loving fan, with serious tension filled sequences sitting next to some truly funny ones - anyone who played for their school football team will identify with the "different" sort of teams Jimmy and co have to play against. Some of the young characterisations will definitely strike a chord with most British folk who played sport at school. The drama is well played, with director John Hay letting his actors imbue the narrative with the right amount of emotional weight, the soundtrack is contains ideal poundings from bands up North and John De Boorman's cinematography is suitably bleak and beautiful at the requisite junctures. It has flaws for sure, any film fan could pick holes in this without really trying, and familiarity of the sub-genre undoubtedly stops it blooming with freshness. But why gripe? Film achieves its aims, it wants to leave you with a feel good glow and delivers on that promise. High art it's not, perfect British footie pick me up? Indeed. All together now, "there's only one Jimmy Grimble, one Jimmy Grimble". 7/10

John Chard13 Apr, 2020