Good Vibrations endeavours to tell the true story of the formation of Good Vibrations, a record store that the young Terri Hooley (Richard Dormer), a now legendary figure in the Belfast punk scene, started in the 1970s. It later went on to become a record label that most famously released “Teenage Kicks” by the Undertones, a punk classic that has stood the test of time. Music aficionados will enjoy the harkening back to a more innocent time, when the punk scene was just beginning, but the uplifting tone and indiscriminate warming of the heart that Good Vibrations provides is what makes the film a modern day classic.
Although the 1970s was an incredibly turbulent time in Northern Ireland, it is against this backdrop that Good Vibrations paints its portrait of vibrancy. Dormer’s performance as Terri Hooley is that perfect picture of rebellious adolescence, but not in an idealised, James Dean kind of way. This is the painful rebellion of the lonely, of someone who finds that their needs aren’t being met, and sets about attempting to meet them. It’s artistic fulfillment of the rawest kind, and everyone but the most hard-hearted of souls ends the film on a high.
It received a rapturous reception in the UK, winning both the Galway Film Fleadh Audience Award and The Belfast Film Festival Audience Award. A big hit with fans on both sides of the Irish Sea, the film got great reviews in England as well as in Northen Ireland. What has been an incredibly tense few decades, ending for the most part only recently, makes Good Vibrations all the more impressive in its ambition and it is affecting to boot. A truly great film that will hopefully one day see a US release.
So that’s the end of the list. I’ll finish up how all British people finish all conversations – by tipping their bowler hat, opening an umbrella, and flying away. Thanks for reading.