moonspinner55 Working-class British lad in 1958 leaves school and hitches a ride into the next town, where he has hopes of becoming a rock star. Extension of the "angry young man" U.K. dramas from the early 1960's, with real-life pop star and Alan Bates-lookalike David Essex in the lead, has some appeal but is full of recycled ingredients: jukebox hits, nostalgic surroundings, boys chasing "birds". The correlation between Essex and his own roaming father (who left his wife and child after returning from service) is made too obvious, and the addition of Ringo Starr in a supporting role is cute but somewhat disconcerting (one of the threads within the film is the perception in late-'50's England that true rock-'n-rollers had to be from America--this before the Beatles rose to prominence). Essex, with his low-key charm and overbite, is quite believable, but neither the script nor the direction offers anything other than a formula. It's both an updating of, and throwback to, the British dramas of Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay, but without fresh subtext it becomes flabby. Released the same year as "American Graffiti", which romanticized this generation, the movie's downbeat tone is alienating--and its anti-hero leanings are unsatisfying. ** from ****

Callum Gee A very enjoyable piece of good ol' British cinema at it's best with a mighty fine cast, story and soundtrack.David Essex in his first big screen role portrays delinquent Jim Maclaine who holds a deep passion for Rock 'n' Roll music and a care-free lifestyle in 1950's England. After he drops out of school and heads to the seaside he eventually ends up working in a holiday camp where he experiences the many temptations on offer to him including girls...and more girls...as well as soaking up the sounds of the time.Jim, along with his friend Mike (Ringo Starr), heads for all the fun of the Fair - literally. Unfortunately, things go somewhat awry for Mike as he is badly beaten-up by some local thugs and Jim can only watch helplessly. Soon after, the boss of the Fairground offers Jim the prestige position of working one of the main ride attractions of the fair, but a meeting with old school friend Terry (Robert Lindsay) and an encounter with a young Mother suddenly make Jim question his current lifestyle.Things are about to change for Jim as the prospect of family life beckons, but his passion for music still shines bright within him and he is now faced with a terrible dilemma in his life.The end of the 1950's sets the scene beautifully for this film's thoroughly insightful sequel not to be missed, which is a very rare example of a second movie being just as good, if not better, than the original.Do not miss the continuing story of Jim Maclaine in "Stardust"...'Look what they've done to the Rock 'n' Roll clown...'

rghunt57 especially about "Stardust" As much as I admire "That'll be the Day", the sequel is even better, one of the finest movies about rock music ever made, yet it has never been released on video in any form (at least in the US). It's on my "most wanted list".For those who haven't seen it, it plays on the rock star mythology only hinted at by the final scene of "That'l be the day" and shows Jim's hedonistic rise as a musician, his career encapsulating both the ambitions and the pretensions of the period. Surprisingly - oh, I guess this counts as a "spoiler' - Connolly and crew didn't leave much room for a trilogy here.

Lee Eisenberg Probably the best portrayal of the '50s rebel culture has working-class Brit Jim MacLaine (David Essex) with a chip on his shoulder - due to his father abandoning the family - and doesn't care about school; he's into rock 'n' roll. His friend Mike (Ringo Starr) is no more responsible but gets Jim some jobs. But after everything, Jim sees fit only - and I mean ONLY - to play music.Aside from the fact that this was a really good movie, I should identify that there was a sequel called "Stardust". I've never seen that one, as it's never been released on DVD. WHY NOT?! Considering how good this one was, why can't the latter get released on DVD?!