In 2010 a group of Fisherman released a top ten album of sea shanties following their discovery by a Radio DJ. This film takes extreme dramatic license to present a more romanticised story of this turn of events. Whilst record executive Danny (Daniel Mays) is on a stag do in Cornwall he is challenged by his mates to sign a local group of fisherman when they see them singing in the harbour. What follows is the story of a city boy falling in love with country life and the group leaders daughter.
This is the sort of film that will rely on its British charm and its music to draw in an audience. Unfortunately I found the opening two thirds to be incredibly patchy and the final third to be virtually unbearable.
In terms of story structure there are no surprises. Arrogant city boy is gradually won over by country community. He forms a relationship with Alwyn (Tuppence Middleton) and gives his word to Jim (James Purefoy) that he will do right by the group. Obstacles will present themselves and then be resolved. The problem is that the story veers between extremely contrived trite earnestness and occasionally charming fun with far more of the former than the latter. Even the photography manages to be dark and drab in places, which for a film set in Cornwall is a travesty.
The music has its moments and James Purefoy and Tuppence Middleton are the pick of the cast but they can’t save the film from mawkishness.
Phil the Bear's Film Reviews 
Maybe it is an age thing, however I found this far more entertaining than you did. It has charm and a great cast. Yes it conforms to the localised British movie conventions – see Brassed Off or The Full Monty for other such examples – and while not original, is always entertaining. The London pub singing sequence a real stand out. Overall a much more enjoyable time at the movies than the overrated Captain Marvel
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I think perhaps the scene in the pub may be the dividing line for if you like the film or not. I felt that the scene in question was the epitome of what was “bad” about the film. Entirely fake, incredibly cheesy and rubbish! But if your take on it is that it was charming and enjoyable then nothing in the film would leave a sour taste in your mouth.
It had its moments but they were few and far between and I found the final 20-30 minutes could not go fast enough.
And to take the bait, Captain Marvel was infinitely more fun. I certainly would take 90’s music over some sea shanties.
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