FemaleFirst.co.uk: DVD: Not Only But Always [2004] [DVD]

Not Only But Always [2004] [DVD]
enlarge	Director: Terry Johnson Actors: Rhys Ifans, Aiden McArdle Studio: Lace Group Category: DVD List Price: ~~£7.99~~ Buy New: £3.99 as of 22/11/2009 06:29 GMT details You Save: £4.00 (50%) New (14) Used (4) from £3.48 Seller: bva1518 Rating: 4 reviews Sales Rank: 14958 Format: PAL Language: English (Original Language) Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over Region: 0 Number Of Discs: 1 Running Time: 100 Minutes Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2 Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 EAN: 5037899003190 ASIN: B00070HK9W Theatrical Release Date: 2004 Release Date: May 5, 2008 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days


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Customer Reviews: I've got nothing against your biopic... February 20, 2005 8 out of 12 found this review helpful Firstly, a biopic is quite an impossible medium to fully explore any individual's existence, let alone a man with as rich a life as Peter Cook's. Thankfully, the film-makers of 'Not Only But Always' are quite aware of this, the crux of the film details the sometimes froughtful relationship between the afore-mentioned and comic partner, Dudley Moore.pRhys Ifans is quite simply superb in the role, playing the man with utter conviction both in character and as comedian. Aiden McArdle, as the 'short one with the club foot' is also extremely convincing. The two fair best in the confrontational scenes, although are strangely lacking as a comedy double act which could be problematic but in the context of the film, only serves to highlight the difficulties the two encountered as friends.pYes the film rushes over some events far too broadly and Cook's cruelty is oversimplified for the small screen. It also makes far too basic assumptions on each of the performer's respective success later in their careers. Cook was no failure. Already being the 'funniest man to have ever drawn breath' (copyright John Cleese'), he didn't have to achieve the commercial heights enjoyed by his partner to prove this.pThese are only slight niggles really though which do not detract from the broad brush strokes of greatness that coat this film. Double gloss. "I don't intend my life to be ruined by success". September 24, 2009 DangermouseZilla (Doncaster, Yorkshire, UK.) The film starts with a wry dig at itself for being modern and trying to look like a trendy modern film. Pete and Dud are watching this very film and commenting on the cinematic clichés, and then the story begins... br / br /...After seeing the differences in class background we get to witness the comedy crucible of the 'Fringe' four which led to the meeting of the iconic duo. It is quickly established that Peter Cook is very much on a his own level, a higher plane of satirical intelligence which nobody else can reach - but one which Dudley Moore can appreciate and compliment with his own spontaneous ideas. Momentum builds and the group gain notoriety, eventually making superstars of Cook and Moore. The film continues to analyse itself and progresses the story in an almost episodic format. br / br /It would have been easy to simply chart the story of two people who worked together, but capturing the spirit of them takes great writing skills and even better performances. The film concentrates on Peter Cook and Rys Ifans clearly loves the role. Do you remember when you first saw Jurassic Park and you couldn't believe the special effects which brought the dinosaurs to life? Well that's how I felt watching Ifans managing to shape-shift into Peter Cook. You can put someone in the same clothes and give them the same hair-do, but it takes a sprinkle of acting genius to adopt the same speech characteristics and mannerisms down to the smallest of detail - he even has Peter Cook's eyes! br / br /Aidan McArdle is also great as Dudley Moore. He depicts well the feeling of second fiddle to Cook's overbearing presence, and also the slick Hollywood persona during his international 'sex thimble' years. But the truth is that 'Not Only But Always' centres on Peter Cook. The film is constructed around him and everyone appears either to be intimidated or awed by his presence. The relationship between him and Dudley Moore was infamously less then perfectly cordial, and the film focuses more on the antagonism of the relationship and a battle of ego which Cook could never lose. br / br /This is made for TV and sometimes it's obvious; the airport scene was a blatant cheapo studio set - but as always the focus was on a brilliant Cook moment, the film could have been filmed against a children's doodle of an airport and Rhys Ifans as Cook would have distracted your attention away enough to make is plausible. br / br /In a nutshell: Rhys Ifans is Peter Cook, he sold his soul and was possessed by the late comic genius - watching him on screen is like watching Cook himself. The persona of a much revered and often misunderstood man is presented in a way which is often gushing - but also fairly honest. Cook isn't the only character to be dissected on screen though, and a big part of his life was his working partnership with Dudley Moore. The essence of just a few aspects of that relationship are presented to us. It might not be an entirely true reflection, but I can't help but get the feeling that it comes pretty close. br / Not only bad, But also sad. January 21, 2005 J. Rain (Hove) 8 out of 12 found this review helpful I must start firstly by simply saying i was surprised.brwhen i heard that Ryhs Ifans would be playing Peter Cook, i was surprised, and filled with a sense of dread.brBut,i must say, i was surprised, he was pretty good, he has some scenes in this film in which you could close your eyes and think it was the man himself. But of course, it wasnt.brIm no Cook expert, but i know enough about the man to know that some vital factual elements were missing in this film, the Derek and Clive scenes alone were wrong and badly delivered, and ive been told all the school scenes were incorrect and some later elements.brBut that is nit picking, i enjoyed this film, but i feel it missed the point, i was very impressed however with the performances by the main actors, Ifans was very good as Cook, and Aiden McArdle was very very good as Little Dud.brBut i can see why people would dissaprove, it does picture cook as a man lost without dud and turning to booze to get over his "failure" brBut with Cook, this wasnt the case, he did what he wanted, he accheived what many people would want as a career by the time he was 25, (when he was still at university he had written Pieces of Eight for Kenneth Williams which not only ran in the west end but also ressurected Williams' career)yes, he would have loved to have been a hollywood star, but could you really see Cook in "Micky and Maude" or "Arthur 2: on the rocks"? br(ok, so he did Supergirl, but were all allowed one mistake) point is, Cook was the antithisis of anti-hollywood, when he attempted to break into US TV with "the two of us" you could tell his heart wasnt in it, Peter loved being different and revelled in peoples reactions when they were appalled or offended.brI dont think this was really put accross in this film, they tended to dwell too much on the pathos.brI feel the film missed the point of their relationship, Pete felt half the performer without Dud and Dud WAS half the perormer without Pete, its a sad fact, but a valid one that just wasnt explored in this film. The worst job you'll ever have? Trying to follow this... February 3, 2005 8 out of 12 found this review helpful This made-for-television film is based heavily on Peter Cook's biography by Harry Thompson (co-creator of the brilliant "Monkey Dust"). I suggest you read the biography before you watch this, otherwise you are liable to have little clue as to what is going on. The film moves way too fast, paying little attention to any single episode of Cook's life, simply trying to cram all his genius and all the amazing things he did into two hours. It is testament to Cook that two hours is simply not enough.brThe most blatant example of this cramming technique is right at the end, when Cook (Rhys Ifans) and Dudley Moore (Aiden McArdle) meet for the last time and have "a bit of a chat". Except it's not a bit of a chat. The writer has obviously reached a bit of a dilemma - "yikes! so many brilliant Cook witticisms I haven't penned in yet, and so little time left in which to do so!". So the two characters simply spew out one-liner after one-liner at each other while the credits role. I'm not saying they're not good jokes - they're all Cook's - but it is a cynical and lazy way of ending a film, and consequently "Not Only But Always" ends on a (forgive me) dud note.brThere are good points, of course. All the actors give exceptional performances - not impersonations, thank God, but proper performances - Ifans in particular. And occasionally I felt a twinge of emotion as the film depicted the dissolution of Cook and Moore's friendship. But for the most part the film is far too rushed to be followed by anyone unfamiliar with Cook's life, and it never really slows down enough to let you immerse yourself in the action and care about the characters. You can forgive the producers for wanting to fit in every joke, every success, every moment of Cook's life - their reverence for the man decrees that it would be sacrilege to miss out a single second - but really I feel they should have known better. I'm glad I watched it, but only because it taught me how not to make a film biography.

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