I saw this on HBO GO as a movie to stream and I figured if a movie was 20+ years old and still on a popular streaming service (seriously, think how many movies came out 20+ years ago and *aren't* available to stream!) then I should probably give it a watch; plus, the IT Crowd really won me over to British humor. This is a great movie it you are looking for something very lighthearted and funny on a Friday night. It was funny, and what surprised me even more is that it actually has a "feel good feeling" to it by the end of it. I feel as if comedies these days don't tend to deliver any sort of emotional quality. Definitely worth a watch even 20 years later.

This film was just shown on BBC1 in honour of its 20th anniversary of release, and it deserves it. It's charming, very funny, touching, and speaks to the reality of being unemployed with little chance of employment in a depressed economy. It should be soul-destroying, yet these men keep trying and, ultimately, succeed.*big spoiler warning* What I love most is that they don't suddenly turn into the world's best dancers/strippers. That's not what it's all about. It's about friendship, fatherhood, marriage and unexpected love. Such a lovely film with a sensational soundtrack as a bonus. I seriously hope Hollywood won't try to turn it into a 'feel-good' movie with model-pretty actor/dancers. *shudder*The actors here are completely believable as ordinary, working class men just trying to survive. Robert Carlyle is, as always, amazing. Probably best known now as Rumplestiltskin in 'Once Upon a Time', his acting history is impeccable, as is his Yorkshire accent. Like David Tennant, another Scot, he is a chameleon. I look forward to seeing everything he does.

I don't know how many movies there are out there about male strippers, professional or no. The only one I've seen besides The Full Monty was Magic Mike, which turned into some kind of weird drama which I didn't expect. Still, I liked it. Now The Full Monty didn't turn into a weird drama. The main character's reasons were serious from the very beginning - he wanted to afford joint custody of his son. Still they manage to go through the movie with comedy instead of this movie being completely serious movie, because that couldn't work as well as this does.One thing I especially like about this film is that the men all look different and they're not all as fit as the blokes on Magic Mike. (If only we'd have similar diversity in body types when it comes to women in movies.) And still even if they had doubts about their own bodies they still managed to go on stage. That's admirable and inspiring.The Full Monty is a very charming movie. It's funny yet touching, and there just is that something that any American remake could never have - so hopefully there won't be any remakes, because those would fail spectacularly.

Ah, The Full Monty - it warms the cockles of your heart and revives your faith in human nature.  From the beguiling Yorkshire accents, to the ubiquitous swearing, to the liberal  sprinklings of political incorrectness throughout, I defy anyone not love this unassuming, feel-good British comedy.   Set in Sheffield in the 80s when unemployment was rife and men were skint, this movie truly catches the spirit of the times while evoking a strange nostalgia for that shared experience of joblessness and economic doom in 80s working class Britain.  The Full Monty comprises a motley crew of disaffected and seemingly mismatched men,  several of whom lost their jobs in the collapse of the steel industry, and follows their day to day life as they attempt to set up a striptease act to rival the Chippendales (and, of course, earn some ready cash).  Main man, Gav (Robert Carlyle) with his weasly face, and exasperated cries of 'foookin' 'ell!' every five minutes is bloody brilliant as is 'fat bastard' Dave (Mark Addy), and pale, suicidal carrot- top, Lomper (Steve Huison).   As well as superbly showcasing working class life with all it's social problems, ugliness and pathos, The Full Monty touches on broken relationships, homosexuality and the shame and hardship of long term unemployment.  However, the joy of this movie is that despite the struggles of these men and their families, there are no pity fests; life is what it is and you just get on with it.  The buoyancy, cheek and unerring spiritedness  of the characters  keeps you smiling .  Dancing in the dole queue, g-strings in the sitting room and cling film in the potting shed, this film's got it all - and the world is a better place for it.