Bula Quo! (2013) User Reviews

Dying On An Island

[SteveResin · 3/10 · 22 October 2015]

Rock stars and acting is rarely a good mix, but to be fair to Parfitt & Rossi they're not terrible, just not terribly good either. Sadly the film itself is dreadful. The plot is wafer thin, a bit like Rossi's hair, the script is like something Scooby Doo rejected and the music is largely sanitised updated versions of old hits. There are a few new numbers but they're instantly forgettable.

I'm not sure why they thought this was a good idea, it's frankly embarrassing and to think the band who brought us Pictures Of Matchstick Men or some early 70s heavy albums like Dog Of Two Head, Piledriver & Hello are responsible for this is grim. It's like some watered down Carry On film without the saucy gags or talent. It must have been a Bucket List scenario, let's make a film before we retire, because we can. There's no artistic reason, surely? I accept Quo have been "light entertainment" for nigh on 3 decades now but there's no excuse for this rubbish. It's just lazy and a vanity project.

Quo have done some credible and truly excellent projects over the last few years, especially the reunion of the original four piece for a few concerts, and the "unplugged" shows and album. So the decision to make this piece of cinematic excrement is bewildering.

Not great, not terrible. Just a bit bland

[kodabar · 3/10 · 27 April 2014]

I like Status Quo. I'm not a big fan, but I enjoy their amiable, fun rock music. In many ways, they don't get the respect they're due, perhaps because they never managed to break into the American market.

Bula Quo isn't a good film. It's not even bold enough to be terrible. Everything about it is just a bit bland and lacking.

Stuart St. Paul is a great stunt coordinator with a long history of good work. But as a director, he's awful. His films remind me of Willy Bogner, the ski film maker: Bogner's great with the ski films, but when he tries to make actual films, it all falls flat. And so it is with St. Paul.

The story is weak and predictable, but that isn't necessarily the kiss of death. If the acting was stronger, it could have been okay. Parfitt and Rossi aren't terrible, but they are terribly directed. There's some nice banter and back and forth between them, but it just doesn't come across well. With some acting lessons and a lot of rehearsal, there could have been a good performance there.

Craig Fairbrass does what he always does, but he's wasted and he's not a strong enough actor to deal with a poor script. Jean Heard isn't much good either - she's not convincing and has this funny habit of pausing after each line, which just drains the life out of her performance. The only good performance comes from Laura Aikman, who just happens to be St. Paul's daughter.

Most of the audience for Bula Quo are going to be Quo fans and they can probably overlook the shortcomings of the film just to enjoy see the band on-screen. And that's fine. It's just a shame that with a bit (well, a lot) of work on the acting and an actual film director, this could have been a decent little film - nothing that would set the box office on fire, but something mildly fun for a rainy day.

(PS The music is fine and they even play Pictures of Matchstick Men - their first hit from the 1960s)

A strange if fun movie

[trevorwomble · 5/10 · 16 April 2022]

Pop stars making movies about themselves as pop stars is nothing new but this film missed that boat by about 40 years, when Quo were at their zenith.

This romp about Rick and Francis on the run from a local mafia in Fiji after they witness a murder has a fair bit of humour and is well photographed. Sometimes the audio is a bit hard to hear but for a lot a budget junket I'm the sun it's quite watchable. Francis and Rick absolutely cannot act and it shows, although Craig Fairbrass and Jon Lovitz are surprisingly good in this. The film has a not very good script and clunky dialogue but the music is great.

With a little more care this would have been a good family film but unfortunately it's a bit dark for young ones.

It's a watchable enough romp but it's no classic and certainly nowhere near as good or as funny as something like the Beatles film A hard day's night.

Beyond awful

[paulbeard17 · 1/10 · 19 November 2022]

You thought their version of Fun,Fun,Fun was their nadir,think again. This film has no redeeming qualities at all. They've been phoning in their music since 1977 and now inflict this on the public.

Made as a tax write.off. The whole thing is fish 4 days old. It's about as funny as an orphanage fire and Parfitt and Rossi can't act. They are more wooden than all the palm trees on Fiji.

I'm assuming the other actors needed the cash so badly that they couldn't sell any more blood or bodily organs.

I wasn't expecting Citizen Kane or The Godfather but this waste of celluloid is a crime against cinema.

It seems to have been made for simple minded kids, but I bet they won't like it either.

[face-819-933726 · 5/10 · 13 November 2013]

Sadly this movie is written for children under 10. There is so much potential here, and they just don't even seem to try. The whole idea of a movie centered around Fiji for the world to enjoy had me very excited. Something new always does. I had hopes for this to be a cultural exchange, and though there are some great shots, of the Islands, and the people are truly represented in all of their beauty, and glory, the story itself is just too childish, and not entertaining enough to keep most people over 10 interested for very long. The cast is great, but just not funny. You should expect more from John Lovitz, being that he is a Master Thespian after-all. Good job on the island music, I just wanted to be more entertained between the songs. The skits that the leads perform are intended to be funny, and if they were this would have been a really good movie. If you want a movie that the kids can watch with the old folks (the simple ones) to watch together, then Enjoy, otherwise Avoid.

A thoroughly entertaining film - surprisingly!

[noel-clark · 10/10 · 7 July 2013]

I wasn't expecting great things of this film, in fact I was expecting it to be pretty awful to be honest. Normally musicians and movies don't mix well, especially when the musicians try too hard - I'm pleased to say in Bula Quo! they don't!

The style reminded me of a modern day take on the humour of 1970s Burt Reynolds. Rick and Francis were funny throughout, and there were a couple of destined-to-be-classic cheesy lines in there.

The remainder of the cast were well chosen, in particular Laura Aikman stood out as being a talent I hope we'll see more of in the future.

Let's be honest here - Bula Quo won't win any Oscars but who cares. The measure of a good movie to me is did you enjoy it, not how Oscar-worthy it is or how much it cost to make. I did enjoy it. And I'd see it again.

A good film for Quo Fans.

[stephenbnicholls · 7/10 · 6 July 2013]

In the interests of fairness, I need to state at the outset that I am a lifelong Status Quo fan. This matters, because how much someone enjoys this film will depend upon how much of a Quo fan they are.

Part of the joy of watching the film is the chance to see Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt playing themselves on the big screen. Their camaraderie and self deprecating humour are there for all to see. They obviously had an enjoyable time making this film and that translates itself to the screen. There are plenty of in-jokes for the fans, some of which may be lost on the more general movie-goer. Furthermore, being biased, I think Bula Quo has the best soundtrack of any film that I have seen! Craig Fairbrass, Laura Aikman and Jon Lovitz all give solid performances, in spite of the sometimes uninspired dialogue that they are given. There are also plenty of lovely panoramic shots of Fiji to enjoy within the film.

The downside is that the film's pace is ponderous at times, even during some of the action/chase scenes. The film lacks any real suspense and it has a rather weak, anti-climatic ending.

This film isn't going to win any Oscars, and if you are not a fan of Status Quo, then Bula Quo is unlikely to win you over. However, Quo fans should really enjoy watching this movie.

A bit of fun

[evans-marg · 8/10 · 8 November 2013]

Disclosure: I've been a huge Quo fan since the 70's - so I'm possibly biased.

This is not one of the worlds greatest movies, it's not going to pick up awards - except maybe for the music - but it is good fun. It's a light- hearted movie with a few lines that really made me chuckle.

I enjoyed seeing Francis and Rick being they way I thought they would be - a bit laid back, cracking bad jokes and obviously having a good time. Just a pair of big kids having fun. Jon Lovitz, Craig Fairbrass and Laura Aikman were all excellent.

I'd recommend this if you like good music, and you're after something you can get a laugh out of and not have to think too hard over.

And all round good film!

[aidan-1998 · 10/10 · 8 July 2013]

This is a great happy summer film. Not a serious blockbuster. It's a bit of fun and it was very enjoyable to watch. As a quo fan, originally I didn't have very high expectations for the film but after seeing it, I can't wait for the sequel!!! And you don't need to be a Quo fan to like the film! It's aimed at anyone! It's funny, action packed and rocking! I've been looking forward to seeing the film since April 2012 and now I finally have and it was really worth the wait. And they've done an extremely good job assuming the floods that occurred in Fiji a couple of days before shooting started :) Well done Stuart St Paul! I can't wait for Namaste Quo!

Not a Blockbuster, but a very funny UK Film with lovely Rockstars :)

[chrisl1981 · 10/10 · 9 September 2013]

Loved every Minute of it! Of course its just a B or C Movie, but good enough for funny 90 Minutes :)

Come on and enjoy this beautiful Film, set in Fiji...what a wonderful Location for such a great Comedyfilm !

Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt are not just brilliant rockers, they are also Actors, not in a Way like other Actors but they play themselves very good. THIS and of course Craig Fairbrass, Laura Aikman and Jon Lovitz makes this movie so funny :)

Enjoy watching it! :)

Hopefully this will be a great Success in the UK and in other Territories in Europe! A wonderful, great film :)

A seriously funny film!

[Yvonnehanvey · 10/10 · 9 July 2013]

I don't think you need to be a Quo fan to enjoy this film! It has the feel good factor that I need in any film that I watch. The film has the added bonus of fantastic music! The film, against all expectations, produced a new Quo album, which is very different from anything the band have done before. There are some real laugh out loud moments and some moments when you just want to shout 'Quch!' The one-liners are fabulous. However, there are some moments where I don't get what is going on, even after two viewings. I am really looking forward to the follow up which is due to be shot in India with the guys on retreat as they recover from their traumatic experiences in Fiji. Echos of the Beatles in India?

Warm hearted fun

[godstone_novel · 10/10 · 8 March 2015]

It's cheesy, it won't win any awards - although the soundtrack is really good. A lot of the tracks are classics but a number were written for the movie and add a fun atmosphere to the proceedings.

The location is fabulous and gives a great backdrop for the lightweight plot which involves Rick & Francis from Quo trying to escape from a bunch of gangsters led by Jon Lovitz. As paper thin as the storyline is, somehow that doesn't seem to matter.

Craig Fairbrass does a good job as the Quo manager/ bodyguard and takes on the action hero role. Laura Aikman brings youth and charm to an otherwise older and mostly male cast. She combines very well when acting alongside the more serious Fairbrass or when she is poking fun at Rick & Francis.

It is what it is: a vehicle for an old rock band, it's light hearted but not hilarious and I find it enjoyable despite it's many flaws ...and sometimes, actually often because of them.