Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt have been in the entertainment industry for an incredible 50 years, however there is nothing that can prepare them for their upcoming tour of Fiji, as they are scheduled to perform to thousands of adoring fans. With their publicity and security assistants Simon (Craig Fairbrass) and Caroline (Laura Aikman) running around after them like headless chickens, there is little anybody can do to prevent the ageing pair witnessing a callous murder, at the hands of local crime-lord Wilson (Jon Lovitz). With the law enforcement suspecting it’s the band behind the murders, and Wilson chasing the two witnesses to his crime, Francis and Rick must do all they can to continue with their sold-out tour, while trying to stay alive in the meantime.
Though Stuart St. Paul’s Bula Quo! is absolute nonsense of the highest order, and the story doesn’t take itself seriously at all – sadly the greatest shortcoming within this title, is that the band actually do. Considering this picture is attempting to be humorous, the one place where comedy could actually be found is within the band poking fun at themselves. Take the television series Extras for instance, it has rejuvenated the careers of a handful of has-been celebrities, who are merited with having the sense of humour to laugh at themselves and at the more fickle, pathetic aspects to their profession. However in Bula Quo!, the duo continuously make a point of alluding to their sold-out shows and how everywhere they go the worldwide press won’t leave them alone, seeming oddly intrigued with this tour, and how their fans swarm around them at any given opportunity. It’s self-indulgent to say the least.
Much of the supposed humour goes down like a complete lead balloon in this film. It’s knowingly vying for cult status, not really aiming to be anything more than a B-movie, but that shouldn’t really excuse it. Sadly the comedy caper genre just doesn’t feel quite so contemporary, and though the occasional worthy effort can be an endearing blast from the past, this particular offering needs to go back from whence it came.
Needless to say, the cast look as though they had great fun making this movie (a nice holiday to Fiji included, of course), and there is no denying that Status Quo seem like terribly friendly chaps. However this isn’t enough to prevent it from being a poor excuse for a film, where, somehow, the acting is the least of its troubles. In fact, Lovitz doesn’t do a terrible job at playing a sinister villain, as his offbeat persona adds a touch of unpredictability to his role. Meanwhile Aikman does a quite astounding exasperated facial expression, one that is matched only by the audience watching.
When Bula Quo! comes to a timely ending, you are left to ponder what on earth has just occurred, not helped by the distinct lack of direction in the film’s ending, as it just sort of finishes rather abruptly. For a film that is immensely immoderate and over the top, the finale is played down an incredible amount. Alas, nothing associated with this film truly makes any sense at all, and while Status Quo are rocking all over the world, we’re left to hope they haven’t booked a return flight home.
[Rating:1/5]
Another review by some so-called expert reviewer who just doesn’t understand this movie! To begin with I always define the word expert by its two syllables, ex-as in something that was and spert (spurt) as in a drip under pressure, and I think in this case that definition has never rung truer.
Status Quo did not write the script for this movie neither did they direct it, so how can they be criticised for taking themselves too seriously? Surely any criticism for that should be aimed at the script writers and the director. The band who are actually well known to their fans for poking fun at themselves in real life! Status Quo, the so called “Three Chord Wonders” releasing an album entitled ‘In Search of the Fourth Cord’ for example, would have no doubt enjoyed poking fun at themselves in this movie, just as they did in their cameo appearance in the soap opera Coronation Street. Does Status Quo’s career really need rejuvenating? This is the band who spend half the year touring and playing to sell out audiences, the band who have just released their hundred and first single and yet another top 10 album in a career which has spanned for nearly 50 years.
I wonder if this reviewer actually took the time to do any research into the origins of this movie? The movie was originally going to be called Care Factor Zero and after reading the script the band rejected it because it was too serious and dark. Seven years later the script was re-presented to the band completely rewritten with the title Bulla Quo. Because the reworked script was light-hearted and contained childish and stupid humour and was intended for a family/child audience the band agreed to do it. For the reviewers information Status Quo have agreed to do the sequel movie he mentions in his review, with the proviso that they can be themselves more, talking to each other as they would in real life, bad language and all, meaning it will be aimed at a more adult audience with adult humour.
Yes this is a B-movie, it is an independent low-budget film which was privately funded and took little under five weeks to shoot. Furthermore it was only screened in 200 cinemas nationwide, some of which only screened it for one day and night. Did this reviewer really expect the film to be a blockbuster, and the cast to be queuing up to accept their Oscars? The film was never going to attract an audience other then Status Quo fans, all of which would be bound to enjoy it as is evident from reading comments from people who have seen and enjoyed Bulla quo. I think I will trust their judgement more.
Rather than Status Quo taking themselves too seriously in Bulla quo, I think it’s more that Stefan Pape took Bulla quo too seriously.