I Used to Be Famous

I Used to Be Famous

A former boy band star unexpectedly gets a second shot at success when he forms a bond with a gifted young drummer.

  • Released: 2022-09-09
  • Runtime: 104 minutes
  • Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
  • Stars: Ed Skrein, Eleanor Matsuura, Lee Long, Eoin Macken, Kurt Egyiawan, Neil Stuke, Racheal Ofori, Leo Long, Lorraine Ashbourne, Stanley Morgan
  • Director: Eddie Sternberg
 Comments
  • creationboxfilms - 13 December 2023
    Genuinely sweet film full of redemption
    Loved the chemistry between the two leads. A story full of redemption and hope so gratefully received. I found myself behind this duo and wanting them to go the distance.

    Heartwarming with nice twists and turns as we find out more about the backstory of Vince as well as Stevie and his Mum.

    If you have ever wanted to come back from disappointment or have been in a tough spot in your life this will resonate with you.

    Leo Long has a great career ahead of him. Very well acted and extremely believable playing the role of a young guy with autism.

    Enjoyed seeing the surrounds of Peckham and cutaways to central London.

    Great synth sounds in the soundtrack which reminded me of songs of the 80's and DreamKid.
  • robina_mehilba - 18 January 2023
    pacing was bad, no chemistry
    I rarely ever give a film 2 stars. I had no real hopes or expectations from this film, but here we are.

    It started off alright, then the pacing just went all over the place. Slow burn on certain non important scenes and where characters are supposed to bond and some time is supposed to pass to establish certain bonds and character growth - it rushes through them and just ends up feeling dry and did not really feel for any of the characters.

    Non of the characters felt like they had any chemistry with one another, and the Autistic character was just all over the place, started off ok, and then just went on to be "sometimes" Autistic. Also most of the mother's reactions were too extreme off the bat. Like, ok, I get it - you are being a protective mother, but it was way too much.
  • siofrakellygilligan - 10 November 2022
    Cheesy, Sappy Movie.
    This movie wasn't released, it escaped. This movie managed to simultaneously hurt both my eyes and my ears. Disappointing.

    This movie was horrible, it was long and dragged out. The acting was disappointing and cheesy. My granny could sing better and she's been dead for the last ten years. This movie was like popcorn except without the pop. In my list of five worst movies this is three of them.

    I argued with my netflix to try and get my money back. This film was so predictable I felt like I was a fortune teller. If any of your friends tell you this is a good movie, unfriend them. The high point of this movie was when it ended and when I knew I would not have to spend any more of my life watching it.
  • Alexanders-2 - 14 October 2022
    Simply disappointing
    Sometimes I don't know what viewers interpret into a film or what their previous viewing habits are. Although I often like British films because they are raw and real, with I Used to Be Famous I wondered how many times I had seen this story before. And as is often the case, some kind of underdog with heart has to step up and work small miracles. Ultimately, there's nothing to be said against that, if the result weren't so half-hearted and TV-movie-like. Ed Skrein is Vince, the former teen idol, now washed up and jobless. You can hear where he's coming from in his speech, and you don't really know where he's going, even though he keeps emphasizing that he wants success. Success eludes him until he meets the autistic Stevie, who lives in his own rhythmic world and can spice up Vince's dull synth sounds with a self-made percussion apparatus. Sounds likeable and it kind of is, but unfortunately it's very half-heartedly acted and the music is just plain awful. When Vince sings, my cat runs out of the room and whatever possibilities arise for him here in the course of the film are pure dramaturgical assertions and would not be possible in real life, just as this whole film eludes reality rather than trying to depict it. Thus, what remains is a bumpy and nice attempt to tell a heartfelt story, but for me it falls by the wayside on all levels.
  • thewandererofwessex - 28 September 2022
    Really good heart-warming film
    A good film by Netflix, Ed shows us how much of a good of an actor he really is. No over-the-top CGI, just good writing and a really heart-warming story that will touch a heart string of those who watch it. Yes the music and lyrics are very cheesey in it, but thats what makes the film good. The relationship between Vince and Stevie who is great in the film also, is well put together and likeable. The film Deserves much better reviews than what people have given it. Its one of those films to watch one evening when there is nothing else on and you just want a feel good story to comfort yourself and the family.