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Killing Bono

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United Kingdom, Ireland · 2011
Rated R · 1h 55m
Director Nick Hamm
Starring Ben Barnes, Robert Sheehan, Pete Postlethwaite, Krysten Ritter
Genre Comedy, Drama

The true story of Neil and Ivan McCormick, two Irish brothers who attempt to become rock stars but can only look on as their high school friends U2 become the biggest band in the world.

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What are critics saying?

40

Empire by

A clever idea that can't find its feet on the bigger stage.

38

Slant Magazine by Jesse Cataldo

Rather than organically develop its characters, it charts their evolution via silly outfit changes, treating the early '80s as a costume bin for flavor-of-the-week aping gags, with the band going from Gary Numan style shirts and skinny ties to lavish glam-rock costumes.

60

New York Daily News by Joe Neumaier

Director Nick Hamm's movie is sparky and fun, and full of affectionate pokes at the '80s music scene. It's also, in terms of music biopics, probably better than the real thing.

60

Time Out by Joshua Rothkopf

"Amadeus" it's not, but as light transitional music, the film-which has Pete Postlethwaite's final performance, as a swishy landlord-is tuneful enough.

50

Variety by Leslie Felperin

Taking liberties with journalist Neil McCormick's memoir to create narrative tension, screenwriters Simon Maxwell and prolific scribe team Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais ("The Commitments") overstuff the story with subplots and trite character arcs.

42

The A.V. Club by Noel Murray

There's a difference between "funny" and "comedy," and the movie adaptation of Killing Bono tries way too hard to be nutty, at the expense of just getting across what McCormick knows.

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