6 out of 10
 

Doesn't pay to be Wilde

Each year we see thousands of Canada geese flying south but never stop to consider that mankind is migrational too. Millions of Quebecers head for the hot sand dunes of Florida, the chirpy Swedes fly off to Indonesia and half of Britain makes its way to the Spanish beaches of Ibiza. For the average Brit, as with any other mammal, the two weeks of intensive mating is an important ritual with disco at the core of the "Three S's" of sun, sea and sex.

"It's All Gone Pete Tong" follows the life of Frankie Wilde, an ex-patriot British DJ in Ibiza. A "Spinal Tap" for the 2000's, with similarities to "24 Hour Party People" and Pink Floyd's "The Wall," this mockumentary about the fictional Wilde, features actual interviews with DJ's Paul Van Dyke, Lol Hammond, Carl Cox and even Pete Tong himself. Capturing the true decadent spirit of the rave scene in its heyday, it follows the rise of Wilde (Paul Kaye), a man living the life of excess in permanent holiday on the Spanish resort.

With a perfect wife, a greedy but loyal fat slob for a manager (Mike Wilmot), a home straight out of "House & Gardens," and even with a son that isn't his own, one could hardly imagine his life going wrong. And then suddenly, he finds himself losing his hearing…. and we follow his romanesque slide from god to just a "bod" of complete ruin, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Flawless in his role as the moth-eaten, a attention deficient, party-weary Wilde, comedian Paul Kaye is a true personification of disaster. With teeth like an orthodontists dream and the perpetual look of someone in the wrong place at the wrong time, he is consistently a sympathetic character.

Written and directed by Canadian Michael Dowse ("Fubar") who was approached to direct by James Richardson and Allan Niblo ("Human Traffic"). Winning the Best Canadian Film award at the Toronto International Film Festival, it is set to be a cult classic. Containing an outstanding soundtrack, a thoughtful storyline and creative cinematography, with both frenetic energy and a very insightful quality, the picture at times flows uneasily. After earlier patchy moments, "It's All Gone Pete Tong," finds it's true footing as Wilde falls in love with a deaf girl Penelope played by Beatriz Batarda who, despite being an unknown, was so convincing that the production crew did not realize that she could hear until three days into shooting. Wilde finds hope and a real future through his new love in a delightful and inspiring ending.