The Commitments Story Analysis: Plot Summary & Character Arcs
Deep dive into the narrative structure and emotional journey of The Commitments.
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 1991, The Commitments is a Comedy, Drama, Music film directed by Alan Parker, written by Ian La Frenais. The narrative brings laughter through sharp writing and comedic timing, providing amusement while touching on deeper societal themes. As part of the The Barrytown Trilogy, it provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Robert Arkins as Jimmy Rabbitte.
Story Breakdown
The comedic structure relies on both situational humor and character-based comedy. Jimmy Rabbitte, just a thick-ya out of school, gets a brilliant idea: to put a soul band together in Barrytown, his slum home in north Dublin. First he needs musicians and singers: things slowly start to click when he finds three fine-voiced females virtually in his back yard, a lead singer (Deco) at a wedding, and, responding to his ad, an aging trumpet player, Joey "The Lips" Fagan. The production finds humor in relatable situations while maintaining narrative momentum. The jokes serve the story, with callbacks that reward attentive viewers.
Narrative Structure
- Opening Hook: The Commitments's opening establishes the comedic tone through Robert Arkins as Jimmy Rabbitte's interactions, introducing the central conflict with humor and character quirks that Alan Parker layers throughout.
- Character Arc: The main character shows growth throughout the story, though some supporting characters could have been more fully realized. Robert Arkins's arc is present but occasionally predictable.
- Climax & Resolution: The comedic climax ties together the recurring threads, with Robert Arkins's storyline wrapping up predictably but entertainingly.