'Little Voice' is a British film that will always make me smile no matter how many times I see it. A youthful Ewan McGregor plays pigeon-loving and socially awkward Billy, the telephone man who first meets LV when Mari has a phone installed. Jim Broadbent is perfect as Northern club owner, Mr Boo with his dreadful cabaret acts including an overweight male dance group called Take Fat. His drunken version of Roy Orbison's It's Over is excruciatingly memorable. Michael Caine gives one of his best performances as Mari's latest boyfriend, club promoter, Ray Say (originally played Pete Postlethwaite) who finally persuades Little Voice to perform on stage for One Night Only. Annette Badland reprises her role as Mari's monosyllabic and ever faithful friend, Sadie. In this film version, Brenda Blethyn gives a great performance as Little Voice's crude and selfish mother, Mari Hoff who constantly begs LV to 'cull it'. She truly embodies the role of the agoraphobic and painfully shy LV who hides in her bedroom listening to her father's favourite singers in a bid to escape her overbearing mother, originally played on stage by Alison Steadman (of Gavin and Stacey fame). Jane Horrocks originally played Little Voice on stage and it is clear she knows the role inside out. I have watched this film several times now and on each occasion there is more to appreciate. This film is based on Jim Cartwright's brilliantly funny play, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice and the film version includes some of the original cast.
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