Buster

source: Buster

Never in a million years would a film about a great train robber be so heartbreaking. I remember seeing Buster in the 80's as it was a film that was played a lot during my childhood but it had been some time since I saw it last when I came across the DVD free in the Sunday newspaper so I was quick to get it and re live some memories. Sadly the only thing I cold remember of the film is the music and I don't just mean the songs written and performed by Phil Collins, the actual score was fantastic and very suited to the movie and is definitely worth remembering. Another shock was how god an actor Phil Collins is. He plays Buster down to a tea and manages to hook you in with his sympathetic but inglorious performance. Buster and his wife June are down on their luck with the life they lead. Buster refuses to go out and make an honest living, he only believes in making money the con artist way and this is where the plan comes together for what would be known later as The Great Train Robbery. Not long after the robbery, the police are on the hunt for all who took part and its not long before they have everyone in their grasp apart from Buster and his partner in crime Bruce. This makes them both flee to Acapulco with June later joining him. The story isn't anything special, its more biographical and just follows what we know about the man himself and it's the starts of the movie Phil Collins and the great Julie Walters that keeps us watching what becomes of these people who we can really relate to. The movie has heartbreaking moments with a Phil Collins catalogue to support it, I don't know how anybody can ever say a bad word about the movie because it is flawless but at the same it isn't a masterpiece either. its just a nice film which is very watch able and makes you feel good in the end.

I saw that this movie got an average rating of 5.4 from 1700 users. Good grief. The cast alone (Julie Walters +) warrant this before we start. If people miss out because of such a low ranking then its a mistake. I enjoyed it. And watched it again this evening which is how I come to be here. Good cast, true story, good sound track, character, humour and period setting (1963) what more would you want ? It stands the test of time too, not dated - except in the modern computer graphics / explosions genre. And Phil Collins an inspired piece of casting. OK its not as good as the Long Good Friday but that was a cracking film. But Buster is not that far off the mark. A 5.4 average rating is ridiculously low.

Buster takes an extremely interesting subject-the Great Train Robbery of the 1960s-and turns it into a tedious romantic comedy. Although the lead performances by Phil Collins and Julie Walters are good, they are not enough to save the picture. The film's main flaw is that it only deals in passing with the one thing that makes Buster Edwards really interesting-the Great Train Robbery. The robbery itself is dealt with roughly a half hour into the picture. We get no sense of how a small time crook like Buster-a man whose main accomplishment seems to be stealing mannequins from shop windows-got involved with such a major criminal enterprise. Furthermore, we only get the vaguest sense of who the planners of the crime were. At times, I found myself wishing the film had been about the ringleaders instead. Instead, we get over an hour about Buster and his family's time on the run. It isn't particularly interesting, and even comes across as repetitive as Buster moves from one hide out to another. Although the strain on his family makes for some touching moments, it's not enough to carry the movie. The film's "happy" ending especially falls flat, given the real life Buster Edwards's suicide a few years after the film came out. Seeing Buster walk away with his wife, seemingly happy, when the real man was actually an alcoholic haunted by personal demons, is almost heart breaking. The film's one reason to be remembered is for its soundtrack, which features two classic Phil Collins hits. Unfortunately, they only appear at the end of the film.

This is one good movie! This is a good movie for Phil Collins fans such as myself. Phil Collins is not only a great singer and drummer, hes also a great actor. This is a good movie to watch on a Friday night if you don't have anything else to do. You won't be sorry.

I "boycotted" this film for a long time for two main reasons. Firstly i hate Phil Collins brand of smarmy music, and secondly ,glamourising a nasty crime by paying to see it was morally not something i was prepared to do. Although i stand by my original two points i have to confess that i got it wrong about the film.It is an affectionate retrospective view of Sixties England and has a touch of the "Ealing Studios" about it. The "mechanics" of the robbery are glossed over, and Phil Collins does a pretty competent job " carrying" the film, ably supported by the versatile Julie Walters as his long suffering wife. Crime doesn't pay, the main players get picked up pretty quickly, and those that don't are either getting ripped off themselves or are looking over their shoulder all the time, or both. The period touches are largely sharply observed, the contemporary soundtrack faithful and enjoyable, Collins "Two hearts" and the Four Tops "Acupolco" totally dis-resonant from proceedings. Viewed as a piece of period fiction it is entertaining, pacey, light and humorous.As an insight into the Robbery, Edwards or the gang it is laughable.

This movie was a big hit at the cinema when it was first released and then again as a video rental....Those were the days! The soundtrack was also a big hit and most of the songs were chart hits on the back of the movie, and not just the Phil Collins songs who was at the height of his popularity as a solo artist at the time. The story and movie itself is far from being as bad as some of the reviews here make out, its an upbeat movie for the most part and still watchable. Phil Colins can act, although he hasn't really had the chance to show that in very many roles since. The fact that you could pick this movie up free on DVD recently with a newspaper and if you missed that offer can pop into any Poundland in the UK and pick it up for a pound (on a double bill with Diamond of Jeru) I'd recommend you looking it up...even only if its to hear that great soundtrack again..5/10

Buster is based on the life of Buster Edwards. One of the great train robbers who stole about £2 and half million pounds in used banknotes in 1963. Given that the gang were opportunistic petty criminals. One of the train guards was badly injured. The movie starring Phil Collins was billed as a romantic comedy to skirt over any ethical issues. While the other gang members were caught and received stiff prison sentences. Buster went into hiding in Acapulco with his family. However his wife became homesick and they run out of cash. The interesting part of the movie was the train robbery. That was done and dusted very quickly. The rest of the movie was Buster and his family hiding out in England and later fleeing to Mexico. By the time it ends in Mexico the movie falls back on racist tropes and xenophobia. It's a case of they all speak Spanish here, you cannot get English apples and there is no steak and chips on the menu. The movie has no creativity whatsoever and it is left to Collins to salvage the movie with the soundtrack.

A few of the previous reviewers need to separate fact from fiction. Yes the robbery was nasty, as were most of the perpetrators, but the film itself is merely a semi documentary of man's life after the fact, coming to terms with it. Phil Collins plays an admiral Buster, and Julie Walters does well as his long suffering wife. At the end of the day it was an entertaining film with just enough highs and lows, laughs and tears and certainly better made than the other sixties villain flick "The Krays". Do yourself a favour, if somebody ever gives a one star review, look beyond it as they are usually extremely biased.

Singer Collins stars in this simple film about a thief who successfully pulls off the biggest train robbery in history, who then decides to start a new life in Acapulco with his wife June (Walters). Well matched stars in lovely paced yarn with Oscar nominated tunes from Collins ("Two Hearts").