User reviews

I know most musicals are contrived and cheesy and provide broad stroke entertainment, and I enjoy a good jukebox musical where you are already familiar with the songs, but with the good ones you don't notice how cheesy they are because you're having such a good time. With Greatest Days I was always aware of it's contrivance as the thinly plotted and poorly scripted story is fabricated just enough to shoe horn in some favourite Take That songs from their back catalogue set to a backdrop of friendship, adolescence, tragedy and sexual awakening.

Based on the original stage musical The Band written by Tim Firth we follow a group of friends, going backwards and forwards in time from their teenage years in the early 90's to where they are now in their lives, who get together in Athens 25 years after their first concert to attend a reunion show. Aisling Bea is always watchable and does her best with the material and Marc Wootton provides some much needed comic relief but the casting of the 5 female friends never quite come together.

Feeling like a low budget Mamma Mia! (2008) it lacks exuberance, satisfactorily choreographed dance numbers and an overall feel good factor. The problem lay with the treatment of some of the songs. Many have been re-imagined and reworked, too much for my liking, as we get a hint of a song here, and a hint of a song there and it often falls short of giving us spectacularly executed dance routines to some of their most anthemic tunes. It does however finally pick up in the last 10 minutes or so, which is probably how the whole film should have been, but it's too little too late.

I don't mind a thinly plotted story if you can believe in it but I didn't really care enough about the characters or the plot line and the pseudo Take That members who keep springing up known as The Band (or The Boys as is often said in the movie) who exist in Aisling Bea's head are frankly a rather annoying plot device to get the songs crowbarred into the proceedings. You yearn for the real Take That to appear (and they do in a nice cameo as buskers on board a train) or to enjoy a song in it's entirety but sadly it takes about 90 minutes to really get going. The sentiment doesn't always land and neither does some of the wit or camaraderie between the friends that often feels a little forced rather than being naturally charming.

I thought at least half way in I'd be singing along, tapping my feet and having a great time but it just doesn't take off. Sadly it's a missed opportunity and it won't be the greatest day of your life watching this. Personally I enjoyed the earlier jukebox Take That musical Never Forget that was simpler in execution but much more engaging.

I didn't especially like the truly sterile stage musical and sadly I can't really exude about this either. It all centres around four ladies who win a competition to go and see a Take That reunion concert. The girls have become estranged over the years, but this prize offers them a chance to reunite. Initially it all goes fine - each has gone on to varying degrees of success and happiness in adult life - but after a few largely predictable escapades the fault lines soon start to appear and the inevitable tragedy from their past rears it's ugly head to contextualise their drifting apart and their present, somewhat strained, relationship. The songs themselves were never my favourite either - I always found Gary Barlow's voice to be a bit nasal and toneless - and here they are performed to some extremely precise (and not very natural) choreography by five lads who resemble the original band not a jot. Die hard fans will probably love this, and it does remind you of just how many hits this band had in their relatively short career - but for me, this film was all just a bit too formulaic with an ending that reminded me of the far superior ensemble effort that was Leslie Bricusse's "Scrooge" (1970).

It had its moments and the highlight was probably I WANT YOU BACK it was the moment when the song and story came together .

There have been some amazing musicals

There have been some amazing jukebox movies

The highlight and the benchmark is undoubtedly MAMMA MIA anything else that doesn't come close in its story and adaptation is a let down

If you want a bio pic with music you cannot beat BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY and Rocket man failed in its attempt to merge the two together I wonder if there will be a film if 'we will rock you' ?

Geoff was a highlight he brought comedy to the script

Sadly this failed to take off on any level it's not a film you think I want to see that again and tell everyone to see if - it just failed to do what musicals do - it failed yo uplift - the ingredients were there they just weren't applied in the right quantities

Towards the final 10 minutes it upped a notch or or two but overall it just wasn't good enough

Disappointing

Pad. A 5/10.

Greatest days is THE OFFICIAL!!! Take That musical as it says in bold at the top of the poster. It's official and yet they couldn't get the rights to use the bands official name in the film instead they are referred to as the boys (Amazon trying to use this film to sell a certain tv show maybe? ) . Whilst it maybe doesn't sound like the biggest deal in the world it does make the film feel in a word cheap and that's how I'd described this film in general if I had to sum it up in one word. Produced by Amazon studios greatest days tells the story of Rachel (Aisling Bea) who is 'the boys' biggest fan (self proclaimed). After winning a radio competition for her and four friends to see 'the boys' perform live in Athens on their reunion tour, she must now decide who to take with her. Que lengthy flashback to the 90's when conveniently 'the boys' were at the height of their fame and teenage Rachel and her 5 best friends (also massive fans of the boys) get the chance to see their favourite boys live for the first time. I'm sure you've already worked it out by now but the film is about re-kindling your teenage years, getting back together with old friends and re living the good times all alongside the music of 'the boys'.

The story itself is actually quite enjoyable however it is low budget and this means it misses that wow factor you get from the better jukebox movie musicals like my personal favourite Rocketman or Bohemian Rhapsody. There aren't any real stand out moments and while I've focused on the budget I think the other bigger and less talked about issue is, are Take That a big enough band with iconic enough songs that warrant a movie musical? This will of course depend on your personal musical preferences however I don't personally think so. Whilst I think most people would recognise a few of their songs they're simply nowhere near as big as Elton John or Queen and this adds to that lack of memorable moments. Overall the cast do a good job and they try and cram all your favourite 'the boys' tracks in at one moment or another all performed by some interesting interpretations of younger members of the band, I mean squint and maybe they're passable impressions.

It's watchable but there isn't enough here to keep you coming back for good.

I'm not the world's greatest Take That fan but even them I'm familiar enough with some of their songs to have enjoyed this moderately budgeted but fun if cheesey juke box musical.l based on the stage musical of the same name.

The plot follows a gang of teenage girls and how their friendship is tested over a quarter of a century, with the music of Take That (here just referred to as 'The Boys') becoming almost the only thing holding them together. When one wins tickets to see The Boys at a reunion concert in Greece she has to awkwardly contact her old friends who she hasn't seen for years to ask them to go. Old wounds are opened and arguments happen as they find their friendship tested, all the while dealing with the shadow of a tragedy from years ago.

The film isn't exactly deep but the acting is fine (comedienne Aisling Bea being surprisingly good). Obviously the music is the real draw and it's used well enough although the hit song song 'Shine' is wasted in the film and really should have been used for the finale.

The product placement for easyJet grates a bit but is probably a result of the production budget and small scale of the film. However if you can overlook this then this is a harmless if predictable film that won't change your world but might bring a smile to your face.

I don't know why as I'm not even particularly a Take That fan, but I actually had high hopes for this film. I wasn't expecting it to reach the heights of Mama Mia!, but I thought it might be at least in the same league. Unfortunately it's just painfully derivative and formulaic, with songs being butchered left right and centre.

The characters are all pretty uninteresting and the acting leaves a lot to be desired. The action is split across two time periods and I will say the younger actors killed it, which is why I'm giving the film at least some stars. It should have put far more focus here.

The story is far too formulaic. Everything that happens is predictable and isn't overly interesting either. The film also just lacked any sort of middle to it. There was far too much set up and barely any plot in the middle or end of the whole thing.

When the film does go for it and embraces its campness and ludicrousness there are glimpses of what it could have been, but it just tries to be too earnest and emotional. None of this stuff lands, which just bogs the whole thing down.

I'm sure there's an audience out there and this film will appeal to many, but it didn't hit the spot for me.

I would never review a movie I've not watched all the way through but my gosh this is a car crash of epic proportions. The cliched dance routines, how cheap it looks, the simply horrendous decision to cast this rather odd looking collection of boys to represent Take That. During the first musical number, Pray, you'll probably burst out laughing when the boys appear out of kitchen cupboards in the midst of a shouting match between two parents. Could it be magic is more could it be tragic, set during a market with various stall holders singing the lines until the boys pop out from behind WH Smith's to join in. Yes the movie clearly wants to say something important our childhood friends and the lead actress has plenty of energy and screen presence but it's all been done better before. After 25 minutes I'd suffered enough.

I'm going to start this off by saying that while I'm not a Take That fan particularly, I absolutely love musicals. And that's why I feel weird writing that the movie would have been much better if they'd taken 80% of the singing out. For the majority of the film it wasn't the characters singing, it was just random background people or boyband guys appearing and breaking into song in a way that didn't affect the plot at all and just looked really odd. I'm sure it works on stage but in this film format at it really didn't. I enjoyed the plot but I just really felt that the singing should have been more integrated or taken out completely. That being said, there are some good musical moments, there's one particularly beautiful part where the characters sing with their younger selves.

Although not particularly Take That fans - I recognise they've got some great tunes. I also recognised that this was a low budget film and not likely in any way to scale the heights of day Mama Mia.

But it didn't shine on any level and certainly didn't have any magic. I was praying got it to end.

I really wanted to like it - but It's formulaic, derivative, predictable, poorly scripted and cringeworthy in parts. The main characters supply us with the obligatory one lesbian, one with weight issues, two mixed race, a crossdresser with beard - then kids with cancer.

The songs are great, there are some excellent dance scenes, lots,of the camp was enjoyable. The best bit by far was seeing Gary, Mark and Jason busking in a tube train - looking down at heel, very amusing. Well done them.

However it didn't relight my fire,

We really enjoyed this film, my husband included! The energy in the first half is outstanding, if you love popular music and dance, you'll enjoy it. But loving the music of Take That is definitely not an essential to enjoying this film, it's a real feel good movie. Like Mamma Mia - it incorporates the music of Take That and weaves it into the story. The pace dipped a bit in the middle, but the integration of then and now is done cleverly and the story messaging around friendship and not losing yourself is heartwarming. I'd happily watch this again. Great performances all round, particularly the young newcomers, I was wowed by their singing and dance abilities.

Mamma Mia - here we go again ... no wait, wrong group and songs! No pun intended obviously - another musical ... I am not really a fan of those, but this was kind of fun overall. Again, suspension of disbelief ... and you have to love the songs on display here ... maybe even be a fan - otherwise you won't be able to ... take that ... and run with it.

I had, you know I had to - even if I already did a similar joke before. You will get so many songs, it is fair to have a few stabs at it. There are quite a few dance numbers too - I did not feel they were superbly choreographed, but they were not bad either.

Story is quite predictable - and the world they all live in is quite fantastical ... you'll either bite and sing a long (maybe even dance a little?) ... or you will be annoyed throughout ... your choice.

I had high hopes for this movie. I was a fan of early Take That and watched the TV Reality Show "Let It Shine" which preceded the stage version of this movie.

In watching, it just didn't gel. The story wasn't fully fleshed out, the premise had promise, but it never followed through. The music, for the most part, seemed to get in the way. There was a huge potential for nostalgia and we never got that. Aside from the throwback reveal at the end of act 2, I was never anxious to see how the story progressed.

The main cast were good. "The Boys" lacked the charisma of believable pop idols. The performances of most of the songs were flat. The thing I look forward to the most about a jukebox musical is the energy of familiar songs, but they all seemed to just act as background music.

It's an OK Sunday afternoon watch but it doesn't have the feel good vibes or the musical energy that I was hoping for. I'd long wanted to see the stage musical but now I'm really not bothered about it.

Greatest days is a 2023 British film based on the Take that jukebox musical of the same name which was (originally titled The Band).

4 friends who have not seen each other in 25 years reunite after one of them wins tickets to a reunion concert of their childhood favourite band.

I have been wanting to watch this as I'm a fan of take that and love their music I even went to see them 6 times in concert lol.

A few weeks ago I went to see the Greatest days Musical at the theatre it was good but lacked with the storytelling but still enjoyed it.

So gave this film a watch.

So after seeing both I wouldn't definitely say the movie is better it's going to be as they can do more and more is involved. Better singers obviously better acting and the choreography is good.

Everything is the same to the theatre musical but with more depth in the story you find out more and extra songs in lot more comedy to. Stilly cheesy.

The music is not actually take that singing it's the cast like it's in the theatre . Don't know why people keep thinking that maybe do research first otherwise it can be silently disappointing.

A nice light hearted film with great music if you like ( Take That or course) feel good movie to watch.

The acting was okay not the best it's a low budget film but still entertaining.

So if like films like mamma Mia then you will love this.

Streaming on PRIME.

As a huge Take That fan, I was very excited when I heard about this film, and when I finally saw it, it really cheered me up and took me back to the good old days, where everything was fun and innocent, back to the time when I heard TT songs, and it cheered me up and made me cry, and I never really forgot them and thank God they are still going strong. The story of the film follows five girls in London back in the 90s, who are huge fans of The Boys, a band that sings TT songs, and after they go to one of their concerts, the story shifts to the present day where each girl has gone her sperate way, and they are no longer in touch, until one of the girls wins a trip to see The Boys reunion concert, and decides to bring back the girls. There is a sad story along the way, and throughout TT greatest hits serve as the soundtrack for the film, including Pray, Patience, Relight my Fire, Babe, Million Love songs, and Shine. TT even make a cameo, which is super great. The story is about friendship and love, and how it never goes away, no matter how time goes by. The movie is a great musical, with great dance sequence and costumes, and I love the boy band that played TT, they are good.

I'm a huge musical lover and it would take a lot for me to ever rate a musical this slow. This was so badly shot that the dance performances were blocked by everything and I think the dancing and choreography were really good but I couldn't tell for sure. The one thing I love about a musical is watching the choreography and every time they performed I was saddened by looking at close ups of people's body parts. The close ups of everything in This movie made it hard to watch. What a disappointment! Don't get your hopes up for this movie, you'll be way disappointed. The two sides of the past and present was not cohesive enough you could eliminate half the movie.

Musical featuring the songs of the band Take That. Nurse Rachel (Aisling Bea) wins tickets for her and friends to see Take That in Athens, a band her and her friends had seen and loved fanatically in their school years. She has not seen them though for 25 years - will things go to plan.

Whilst this was made with a limited budget (apparently Take That were never big in the US and so no money from there was forthcoming) and inevitably contains its fair share of tears and sugar, it's actually a lot better than I was expecting. Take That's music lends itself to this type of thing and although the cover group leap around too much for my tastes, the numbers are well done, particularly 'Back for Good'. The cast are pretty good, notably Bea and Lara McDonnell as the young Rachel and overall it's far more fun than a lot of bigger budget things like this.

Greatest Days is a new music, drama, comedy directed by Coky Giedroyc. She has further directed more various TV series episodes and miniseries and TV movies.

Five friends used to have the best night of their lives when they went to the concert of their favorite boy band together. Over the years, however, the five have lost contact with each other, so that their mutual bond has become less.

When one of them wins tickets to the reunion concert of their former favorite Boyband, she tries to get the five back together to relive the best moment of their past with this concert.

The people behind this film tried to get production from a large film studio for this film, so that they could then also cast well-known actors. Unfortunately, none of the major film studios showed interest in the project. For example, the people behind this film project had to manage the financial affairs more themselves, which meant that they had to simplify some things and drop other ideas. The Boyband Take That, for example, where it is about in the film, and the band members are not mentioned by name, to save costs and legal problems.

Still, the film may seem familiar to fans of Take That or other bands or singers. The film responds so well to how Boyband or other artist groups used to and still manage to attract fans with their music and styles. Fans of past or modern artist groups can relate to how the movie characters behave because of their fandom they have with the particular Boyband in the movie.

Thanks to the lower budget, the cast members of this film are also more TV actors, but fortunately they still come across as friends and fans of the same Boyband. The film only starts more in the past, where the characters were still young. If they suddenly make a time jump later in the film after the now, where the same characters are suddenly older, it can take some getting used to because of how the characters have changed.

I'm not a Take That fan, since seeing how nasty Barlow can be on the X Factor etc it put me right off. However, their music is listenable.

This took me by surprise as was very moving. The story telling and writing is excellent, each actor is well cast and can actually act well, which is a novelty nowadays. The Direction is great and cinematography also. The songs fit in well and the musical arrangements sound good in the Odeon Luxe sound system. Choreography isn't ground breaking but good enough.

The big musical numbers could have done with a much bigger supporting cast but it didn't spoil the film.

As others have said there are parallels with Mamma Mia, particularly Mamma Mia 2.

The Lead is perfect, a gentle character and very likeable, as were all the others.

I get sick and tired of hearing the word "Woke". Yes this film is inclusive but what is wrong with that? Can't we all just live together without judgment and hate?

The film has a good start, middle and ending, perfect.

It's a shame it doesn't seem to be selling well as it deserves success.

At the beginning, it seemed to embrace a cheesy, boy band-like vibe that might not be everyone's cup of tea. However, as the story progressed, it underwent a remarkable transformation, taking a surprising emotional turn that genuinely tugged at the heartstrings.

The movie beautifully captured a range of emotions, and the shift towards the end was both unexpected and deeply moving. The change in tone, from lighthearted to heart-wrenching, left a lasting impact.

Despite its initial cheesiness, "Greatest Days" managed to resonate on a more profound level, making it a film that takes you by surprise and leaves you reflecting on the poignant moments long after the credits roll.

Both things can be true at the same time.

First things first. Why are the band in the film not called Take That? All their songs are in it. It's about the four main protagonists and their love of the music for the band. But, no band. And, why did they choose Athens? Trying to get the Mama Mia audience for sure.

Apparently they failed to get Hollywood involvement because, guess, what, Take That never had any hits in the US.

Everything is really basic in the movie, script, editing, direction and acting.

Fans of the band will love it. Fans of movies in general will hear the sound of fingernails being dragged down a blackboard.......dripping In cheese.