One of the most underrated comedies of the past few years, Killing Bono chronicles the sort-of true-life adventures of Neil McCormick (Ben Barnes) and his younger brother, Ivan (Robert Sheehan), two Irish musicians whose big dreams of becoming rock n’ roll stars are dashed by harsh reality as they stand by and watch their classmates form U2 and become one of the most popular bands in the world. Based on Neil’s 2003 memoir, Killing Bono: I Was Bono’s Doppelganger, Killing Bono is a bittersweet would-be fairy tale that offers a fascinating look into the Northern Ireland music scene of the late ’70s and early ’80s, with Barnes delivering a completely sympathetic performance as the endlessly put-upon, eternally frustrated coulda-been rock star whose journey of disappointment takes on almost Biblical proportions (McCormick could be seen as the Job of the music world — you know, if you want to go there). Martin McCann is also especially good as Bono himself, delivering a carefully nuanced portrayal that never falls into the trap of mere impersonation; the film is also notable for featuring the last screen role of Pete Postlethwaite, whose part was written specifically to accommodate his illness before he died of pancreatic cancer a few months before the theatrical release.
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New On Netflix: Killing Bono