ToryBoy The Movie
| ToryBoy The Movie | |
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| Directed by | John Walsh |
| Produced by | Roger James |
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| Distributed by |
Fremantle Media 3DD Productions |
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Running time
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100 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
ToryBoy The Movie is a British documentary feature film directed by and starring John Walsh. It follows Walsh as he becomes a political candidate for the Conservative Party in the north east England constituency of Middlesbrough.
A staunch Labour Party supporter all his life, Walsh had become disillusioned with the party. When David Cameron opened the door to allow non party members to run for the Conservative candidacy ahead of the 2010 General Election, John Walsh decided to do just that and document his experiences on camera. He came third in the election; Stuart Bell remained the MP of Middlesbrough. but increased the Conservative vote to its highest in thirty years with an 18.8% share of the vote..
The film was based on the 72 hours of footage made by Walsh on the campaign trail. It made the case that Labour's Stuart Bell should not be the Member of Parliament (MP) of Middlesbrough, as Bell was absent so often from Middlesbrough that he is an unsuitable candidate. Walsh showed the finished film in a free showing a year after the election. On the Who Can I vote For? website a humorous warning is given, "this film contains strong language throughout and scenes of politicians that some viewers may find offensive"
Mike Amesbury appeared in the documentary protesting outside the Conservative conference in Manchester.
In 2011 the film was nominated for the Grierson Awards for "Best Documentary on a Contemporary Theme".
The film received positive reviews, with a high score of 8.8 on IMDb. According to Richard Moss, the BBC's North East & Cumbria Political editor, "some silliness aside, it is a thought-provoking insight into the way our political system works or doesn't work on the ground... But I'm not sure he quite nails down a case against Stuart Bell.. And John Walsh doesn't help his case with some of the content in the film."Liberal Democrat commentator Mark Pack wrote on his blog that "John Walsh portrays life on the campaign trail as it really is. It is a hugely enjoyable documentary, which mixes humour, drama and education". A full screening at the Frontline Club took place on 22 November 2011 followed by a Q&A with John Walsh.Empire Magazine gave it three stars and called it a "shit stirring exposé of local politics that will make you cross".Samuel Scott from review site DVD Compare gave it a B- and wrote "I found this documentary very intriguing and very honest. John is a very likable character, and I wouldn't hesitate in voting for someone with so much passion for a second." A reviewer at the website Doc Geeks commented that the film was "a blunt exposé combined with a tinge of lightheartedness. Satirical animation cleverly frames Britain in its political context". On his blog, novelist Christopher Fowler wrote that ToryBoy The Movie was "a snapshot of our country’s political apathy in microcosm. It’s heartbreaking to see people blindly supporting their own demise as if they’re playing some kind of long game they’ll probably never live to see the outcome of. Oh, and it’s also very funny.". When the DVD was released Ben Kamal interviewed Walsh for the Aberdeen student newspaper Gaudie, and wrote "I was prepared for some careful sneering in the interview and subsequent write-up. This did not (and could not) transpire: firstly because of the film, which comes across as Frank Capra scripted by Evelyn Waugh; secondly because of Walsh himself. He is warm, patient and generous, to my own shock I liked him and if you watch the film you'll like him too." "Dave", a reviewer at the website 60 Minutes With, wrote "ToryBoy the Movie is a fantastic documentary and one in which you will be cheering for John despite what political party you follow. His journey from his Labour roots through to a Tory campaign is superbly documented and will have you both laughing and feeling his frustration in equal measure."
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