Greatest Days: Critics say Take That musical film shines

Critics person broadly welcomed a caller big-screen philharmonic featuring the songs of boyband Take That.

Greatest Days, named aft 1 of the group's biggest hits, is the movie adaptation of the signifier philharmonic which opened successful 2017.

Aisling Bea and Jayde Adams prima successful the big-screen version, which has received mostly 3 and four-star reviews.

Digital Spy described it arsenic "a joyous crowdpleaser - whether you similar Take That oregon not".

"Dismiss Greatest Days though and you'll beryllium missing retired connected 1 of 2023's biggest movie surprises... It's a wholesome solemnisation of friendship, tinged with heartbreak, that yet proves to beryllium a crowdpleaser."

Greatest Days is directed by Coky Giedroyc and written by Tim Firth, who has adapted his ain signifier musical, primitively titled The Band.

Bea plays Rachel, a hardworking NHS caregiver who was a immense instrumentality of Take That successful her teens, on with her 4 champion friends from school.

When she wins tickets to spot the radical connected their reunion circuit successful Athens, she reunites her aged group, immoderate of whom person not seen each different for 25 years.

The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw said: "A jukebox philharmonic featuring the works of Take That mightiness not ever beryllium 1 for the chill kids; undoubtedly this is simply a spot broad.

"But it's a splurge of feelgood from manager Coky Giedroyc and screenwriter Tim Firth, adapting his ain signifier show, and it's astatine slightest arsenic enjoyable arsenic the much-hyped Mamma Mia! movies."

The movie features galore of Take That's biggest hits, including Shine, Never Forget, Patience, Back For Good and Rule the World.

However, the radical are lone referred to arsenic "The Boys" successful the film, alternatively than their real-life name.

In a three-star review, Terry Staunton of the Radio Times said: "At its root, manager Coky Giedroyc's feel-good fare is simply a communicative of everyday, mean women taking banal of their lives and pondering what the aboriginal holds.

"This being a movie with the euphony of Take That astatine its foundation, viewers are guaranteed a succession of bangers; acquainted and enduring hits whose anthemic qualities made them shoo-ins for a caller lease of beingness connected the West End signifier successful the archetypal place."

Total Film's Tom Dawson wrote: "Giedroyc doesn't disregard life's inevitable sadnesses - on the mode determination are unexpected bereavements, household rifts, unfulfilled youthful dreams… It's the uplift that sticks, though."

There was praise for the formed from Smooth Radio's Tom Eames, who said: "Aisling Bea proves she tin pb a movie with charm and relatability, portion determination are standout 'watch this space' performances from up-and-comers Eliza Dobson and Jessie Mae Alonzo."

Greatest Days is released successful the UK connected Friday, pursuing its London premiere connected Thursday evening. It received its archetypal screening astatine the Cannes Film Festival past month.

"It whitethorn beryllium fuelled by the schmaltzy lyrics of a lad band, but this is yet a clear-eyed solemnisation of pistillate friendship," said Screen Daily's Nikki Baughan.

"Aisling Bea brings a crisp wit (and indispensable levity) to the cardinal quality of Rachel; present a mid-40s no-nonsense children's ward caregiver but, backmost successful 1993, a 16-year-old schoolhouse miss (played, successful fantabulous casting, by Bea lookalike Lara McDonnell) and diehard instrumentality of a boyband lone ever referred to arsenic 'The Boys'.

"Underneath the '90s vibes, colourful accumulation plan and occasionally cringey boyband lyrics, that's a deep-rooted sentiment that we tin each instrumentality to heart."

Yahoo's Roxy Simons said: "As acold arsenic musicals go, Greatest Days is an enjoyable caper acknowledgment to its amusive reinterpretations of Take That's songs, similar the airport-based rendition of Shine that features stylish choreography and elaborate costumes

"Some songs consciousness perfectly suited for the country they're utilized in, but determination are others that consciousness arsenic if they were added connected conscionable arsenic a mode to marque definite instrumentality favourites weren't missed disconnected the list. When this happens it tin beryllium rather jarring: the placement of Patience is simply a premier illustration of this."

She concluded: "It mightiness not person the longevity of musicals similar Mamma Mia! successful the agelong run, but Greatest Days is definite to delight fans of Take That successful a caller and inventive way."