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The Full Monty (2023) reunites the original cast to see what happened to them all, 26 years later.
Back then, it was a low-budget 91-minute film which led to the group performing a striptease to Hot Chocolate’s You Sexy Thing, and with many scenes which became iconic, including inadvertently gyrating to Donna Summer’s Hot Stuff in the Jobcentre queue.
Now, 7 Prime Ministers later, followed by Tory ruin – and Tory Blair ruin – Dave (Mark Addy – The Rig) is on the straight and narrow, working as a janitor at Sheffield Academy, while Gaz (Robert Carlyle – COBRA, T2 Trainspotting) is still up to some crazy schemes, starting with trying to get a stolen mattress on the bus – relieving it of its previous home in a skip, much to the annoyance of his daughter, Destiny (Talitha Wing – Wolfe).
As for the rest, original writer Simon Beaufoy, together with former Chumbawamba singer Alice Nutter, ‘get the band back together’. This time round, Guy (Hugo Speer – Nymphomaniac) runs a construction company – albeit not the greatest one, as you’ll soon find out, Dave’s wife, Jean (Lesley Sharp – Help), is the headmistress of the educational establishment, Lomper (Steve Huison) works in the Big Baps cafe, run by Dennis (Paul Clayton), and this serves as a general meeting place for all of them, including retirees Gerard (Tom Wilkinson – SAS: Red Notice) and Horse (Paul Barber – Susan Hill’s Ghost Story), the latter of whom is being defeated by technology. They’re also joined by Miles Jupp as Darren, who’s also out of work, thanks to the political correctness calling a female colleague “love”.
Wim Snape still plays Gaz’s son, Nathan, and is now technically a cop, but only in a shopping mall, so basically a security guard, then.
There are eight episodes to this mini-series, which I understand is classed as a one-off, but you never know, because if something becomes a massive hit, the bean counters will always want more. Quite frankly, I always wanted more after the first film. The Full Monty (2023) gives us a welcome return to much-loved characters and more time to learn what makes them tick, although it’s less laugh-out-loud funny, and more “occasional chuckle”.
Without giving away any major spoilers in the two episodes I’ve seen so far – since there are some deeper aspects I don’t want to spoil, Dave helps young lad Dean, aka Twiglet, from being hassled by bullies. However there is still much to be addressed in life between him and Jean, and the gang in the cafe also criticise Britain’s Got Talent, where a dog won the contest, followed by the canine’s accidental theft.
Given that this is a TV series, and the film was shot in 1.85:1, I’m not sure why this is 2.39:1. For continuity, I would’ve kept with the same ratio as the film. Of course, even most TV series can’t cope with a regular 16:9 these days, and go for at least 2.00:1, but I’d be interested to know why they opted for the wide image.
And of course, because I watch too many films and TV shows, when I see birds flying across the sky in formation, just at the right time that the camera is passing, I know it’s CGI.
Oh, and just one thing so far… no-one’s even talked about stripping off yet, so the original raison d’etre appears to have fallen by the wayside.
Thanks to our friends at Disney+ for the screener prior to release.
The Full Monty (2023) is not available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but is on Disney+ from Wednesday June 14th.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 50-60 minutes per episode (8 episodes)
Release date: June 14th 2023
Studio: Disney+
Format: 2.39:1
Series Directors: Andrew Chaplin, Catherine Morshead
Producer: Simon Lewis
Writers: Simon Beaufoy, Alice Nutter
Cast:
Gary ‘Gaz’ Schofield: Robert Carlyle
Guy: Hugo Speer
Gerard: Tom Wilkinson
Dave: Mark Addy
Jean: Lesley Sharp
Lomper: Steve Huison
Horse: Paul Barber
Dennis Godfrey: Paul Clayton
Destiny: Talitha Wing
Nathan: Wim Snape
Cal: Dominic Sharkey
Yaz: Tupele Dorgu
Twiglet: Aiden Cook
Dilip Amagee: Phillip Rhys Chaudhary
Sash: Jaxon Valentine
Ant: Arnold Oceng
Little Bill: Jamie Michie
Casey: Keeley Fitzgerald
Tabani: Natalie Davies
Mick: Brandy Row
Carson: Thomas O’Toole
Mrs. Khan: Rekha John-Cheriyan
Sajid Khan: Amer Nazir
Benefits Assessor: Lucy Mizen
Policeman: Danny Mellor
The Customs Officer: Simon Jennings
Cal’s mum: Anna-Jane Casey
Lettuce Man: Tim Paley
Ben Schofield: Lewis Whele
Barry: Joe Zalias
Leah: Ashlea Screaton
Kate Brimmy: Laura Hobson
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.