The Hours and Times
THE STORY:
As I sit in some poncy 'Gentlemen's Club' situated somewhere in Barcelona, Spain, I can't but think to myself what the f*ck I'm doing here!
Well, my head is telling me I should go back home and be with my wife, Cynthia, especially since she's about to give birth to our first child. Where as another part of my head -- most probably the lower one -- is screaming out to me to have a bloody good time with my la-di-da manager, Brian Epstein (David Angus).
Come on, folks. Let's face it. Being one forth of the biggest pop group in recent history isn't very easy you know. What with the touring, the music, and all of that other bull*cks we have to deal with on a daily basis. Plus let's not forget that Brian himself isn't that bad a bloke once you get the chance to know him.
OK. So he might be a poof. A very repressed poof at that. Who isn't able to tell you what he's feeling unless he's half cut or dying to get his leg over. On the other hand, though, Brian was willing to pay for this little jaunt of ours. A little jaunt where I got the chance to chat up a lovely stewardess on the flight over, as well meet another Nancy boy who's sitting right beside me at this very moment.
Hmmm. Then again, that's most probably why what next transpires all goes for a song when Brian say's to me, 'John Lennon (Ian Hart)? Shall we all adjourn to our hotel room now?'. As a walk in the past is full of doom and gloom - a kiss in the bath smells of stale perfume - a manager and his Beatle seem like very close chums - and at the end of the day, come on Ringo, get out your plums.
THE REVIEW:

Of course I do mean this with all due respect because I don't have anything against the basic premise behind this picture. It’s arty in temperament. Black and white in tone. Plus it has a somewhat grey attitude towards its own contents.
But from my perspective it's precisely that latter factor I wasn't too keen on myself. Those grey parts of the overall story-line where the writer put on his 'hypothetical hat' and second guessed himself out of the plot, even though at times you could tell he also researched certain areas of the general mythos.
Hey! Let's cut to the chase. Did John and Brian shag each other as this film implies? Or is this claim nothing more than bold titivation put on display for the movie going public? I'm sure we will never know the whole truth, because -- regrettably -- John and Brian are no longer with us, and any evidence left behind is... errr... how can I put this? Left up in the air for everyone to re-interpret however they so wish.
Now on a more positive note, my friends, I did enjoy how this drama tried to explore their relationship through the course of this film. Particularly how John kept on poking fun out of Brian's 'perculiar habits'. Almost making these two real life characters into the proverbial 'Odd couple'. Also, I must applaud Ian and David for being able to inhabit these legendary figures, whist bringing along with them a sense of validity -- something that the script in itself didn't seem to be able to possess.
THE HOURS AND THE TIMES
Reviewed by David Andrews
on
August 20, 2014
Rating:
