Sunday, January 4, 2015

Paul Potts Operatic Story Told In Television Movie

Big Break: Actor James Corden portrays opera singer Paul Potts during his competition experience.
"From the director of The Devil Wears Prada, One Chance (tomorrow, Fox Movies Premium, 9pm) is the remarkable real-life story of Paul Potts, a shy, humble shop assistant who became an overnight sensation after appearing on Simon Cowell's variety show Britain's Got Talent. Ruthlessly bullied for his love of opera and chubby physique, everyman Potts (played by James Corden of Gavin & Stacey fame) spends his days working as a mobile-phone salesman alongside his best friend, Braddon (Mackenzie Crook; below left, with Corden), and his nights as an amateur choir singer. When Paul meets his dream girl on the internet, his life changes and they fall deeply in love. Fueled by his girlfriend's unwavering belief, Potts journeys to Venice to study opera but he chokes during a performance for Luciano Pavarotti and returns home, along with his shattered dreams, to the small Welsh industrial town of Port Talbot. But, this being a rags-to-riches story much in the vein of Billy Elliot and The Full Monty (and with Potts' YouTube video being one of the top 10 most-viewed videos ever), it leads predictably to a by-the-numbers crowd-pleasing climax. One Chance is a humorous biopic that never feels overly sentimental and Corden imbues Potts with bundles of charm. There is a touching chemistry between the cast, but, it must be said, the wonderful comic talents of Julie Walters, playing Potts' supportive mother, seem woefully underused. Of course, and thank heavens, it's not really Corden doing the operatic warbling (this comes from the real Paul Potts) but he does put on a convincing lip sync and it would take a cold-hearted person indeed to not get goose bumps when he belts out Puccini's 'Nessun Dorma' in all its thunderous glory." [Source] Watch the trailer after the jump.