Fisherman's Friends: One and All

3 out of 5 stars

Many may have never heard the true-to-life story of the sea shanty-singing group from Port Isaac, Cornwall named The Fisherman's Friends. Yet, they have been a phenomenon in the music industry since 2010, even though they have been performing publicly since the 1990s. Their remarkable story has now gone on to the focus of documentaries and a feature film in 2019. Due to the grassroots groundswell response to the first movie, the fishermen’s seaside tale continues with their eventual invitation to the Glastonbury Festival.

After their lives were disrupted by their sudden fame, the band members began to experience pressures and tensions they had not expected to endure. As the leader of the ‘shanty boy band,’ Jim (James Purefoy) Has been experiencing even more difficulties as he works through the loss of his father, Jago (David Hayman). Through the pain of loss, he must lead the men as they attempt to promote their second album and try to find a new singer who can bring the heart to the songs once again. As the drama tears at the relationships within the group, Irish singer Aubrey Flynn, (Imelda May) becomes an unexpected visitor to their oceanfront community, which may have more of an impact on Jim’s situation and love life.

For the fans of the original film, there will be very few surprises in their next chapter. Still, these films are not meant to be groundbreaking for their screenplays as much as they offer something for those who love this group. There are more renditions of the classics that made the actual group famous and a humanising of the primary players within the fishermen. Albeit, there is an underlying cautionary narratives about the vicious impact of alcoholism and the essential value of forgiveness amongst friends. Like any other musically inspired story, the connectivity or believability of the connective effect of the narrative is less the focus than getting to hear those sing-along-affecting tunes. Neither film strives to be cinematic classics, but merely hopes to entertain those who have followed The Fisherman’s Friends.

Reel Dialogue: Have you contacted your friends this week?

There are 'friends' who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. - Proverbs 18:24, NLT

Despite being thrown together as residents of Cornwall and fishermen, their story does show the value of a group of friends. Regardless of the season of life, everyone needs others to enjoy life together. Each person within your group offers something different to the others, which shows why they are there. This circle of friends changes as people travel through life cycles, but this does not diminish their importance in life.

The concepts of friendship and community have winning applications and examples in the Bible. From the bonds of David and Jonathan, the letters Paul wrote, and the standard of Jesus and his disciples, we can see the need for these individuals in this earthly existence. If this film does anything, it might be a challenge to call up a few friends to get together and invest in a gift God gave us: friends.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10