Overview
A passionate rocker's quest to unite a divided city through music leads to unexpected transformations.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- energetic
- witty
- warm
- music discovery night
- uplifting history night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's energetic music storytelling, emotional warmth, and Richard Dormer's charismatic performance as Terri Hooley.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Terri Hooley uses a record shop, reggae, and punk to create an alternative community amid Belfast's religious and social rivalries.
The story follows Hooley's promotion of local musicians, gigs, and records as punk emerges in Belfast.
Punk's vitality gives Belfast young people a shared cultural space amid bombings, shootings, and religious hatred.
Hooley's record business and promotion work are driven by idealism while industry realities and his personal life threaten to overwhelm him.
Films like Good Vibrations, and why
Control
music-driven biographical drama balancing artistic idealism, personal chaos, and social division
The Commitments
uplifting music drama about a scene-building outsider confronting industry obstacles
Sing Street
spirited period music drama where creative expression offers communal escape from political turmoil
The Greatest Night in Pop
warm, energetic true-story music film centered on an unlikely cultural catalyst
Movie Details
- Directors
- Glenn Leyburn, Lisa Barros D'Sa
- Release Date
- 2012-05-31
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (119)
Cast
- Richard Dormer
- Jodie Whittaker
- Karl Johnson
- Michael Colgan
- Liam Cunningham
- Dylan Moran
- Ruth McCabe
- Mark Ryder
- Killian Scott
- Kerr Logan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Good Vibrations about?
- An idealistic Belfast record-shop owner turns reggae and punk into a joyful act of cultural resistance during the Troubles.
- What is Good Vibrations like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Good Vibrations as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Good Vibrations violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Good Vibrations as moderate.
- What did critics think of Good Vibrations?
- Critics broadly praised the film's energetic music storytelling, emotional warmth, and Richard Dormer's charismatic performance as Terri Hooley.
- Which films are like Good Vibrations?
- Films with a similar feel include Control, The Commitments, Sing Street, and The Greatest Night in Pop.
- How long is Good Vibrations?
- Good Vibrations runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch Good Vibrations?
- In United States, Good Vibrations streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
