Global Heresy

Global Heresy
Global Heresy
	DVD cover
Directed by	Sidney J. Furie
Written by	Mark Mills
Produced by	Harel Goldstein; Gary Howsam; Mark Shorrock; Gary Tuck
Starring	Peter O'Toole; Alicia Silverstone; Joan Plowright
Cinematography	Curtis Petersen
Edited by	David Ostry
Music by	Jonathan Goldsmith
Production; companies	GFT Entertainment; Ultimate Pictures
Distributed by	Screen Media Films (United States); Alliance Atlantis (Canada)
Release dates	June 28, 2002 (Canada); September 3, 2002 (United States);
Running time	106 minutes
Countries	United States; Canada; United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$12 million

Global Heresy (alternately titled Rock My World in the United States and Canada)^[2] is a 2002 comedy-drama film directed by Sidney J. Furie, and starring Peter O'Toole, Joan Plowright, Alicia Silverstone and Martin Clunes. The film centers on a highly successful American rock band recovering from the loss of their leader by going into seclusion in the United Kingdom.

Plot

When a rock band at the top of their game suddenly loses their band leader/bass player, their musical direction becomes questionable. All the band members know is that the leader's clothes were found at the edge of a waterfront and he has not been seen since. To replace their missing leader, they hire a new bassist, Natalie (Alicia Silverstone), who shakes up their thoughts of the band. However, the biggest changes come when the band decides to go into seclusion to develop new songs and a new sound. They rent a mansion from an aristocratic couple, Lord (Peter O'Toole) and Lady Foxley (Joan Plowright), who are in need of money. When the staff hired to be on hand when the band arrives do not show, the couple decides to act as the butler, Benson, and the cook, Margaret. The obvious conflicts between the two cultures occur, but a respect for each other gradually follows. Meanwhile, the band's recording company is trying to trick them into signing a contract that obliges them to make the music as the company requires, denying their "creative control". Towards the end of the film, the status quo becomes further shaken when the original band leader shows up and admits that his disappearance had been a planned publicity stunt.

Cast

Peter O'Toole as Lord Charles Foxley
Joan Plowright as Lady Diana Foxley
Alicia Silverstone as Natalie Bevin
Jaimz Woolvett as Leo
Keram Malicki-Sánchez as Flit
Christopher Bolton as Carl
Lochlyn Munro as Dave
Martin Clunes as James Chancellor
Amy Phillips as Georgia
Alex Karzis as Ben Gould
Helen Beavis as Margaret
Ian Downie as Benson
Carlo Rota as Tony Manson
Greg Campbell as Man #1 / #2
Paul Constable as Helper #1
Daniel Fathers as Journalist #1
Simon Greenslade as Suit #1
Declan O'Reilly as English Suit #2
Olivia Palenstein as Journalist #3
Richard Partington as Man At Beer Table
Glyn Thomas as Journalist #2

Production

The film was shot in Toronto.^[3]

Reception

Liam Lacey of The Globe and Mail awarded the film two and a half stars out of four.^[4]

References

^ Kremer, Daniel. Sidney J. Furie: Life and Films. The University Press of Kentucky, 2015. p 310
^ Foundas, Scott (11 November 2002). "Rock My World". Variety. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
^ The Hollywood Reporter (24 November 2000). "O'Toole, Plowright In Rock-Band Film". San Francisco Gate. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
^ Lacey, Liam (28 June 2002). "Old pros get silly, with gusto". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 24 December 2020.