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Topic: GAMEFACE REVIEW - And The Top 10 Damien Molony Moments!

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GAMEFACE REVIEW – And The Top 10 Damien Molony Moments!

 

GameFace has just finished airing on E4, and might just be the best thing of 2017.

Starring our favourite actor alongside creator Roisin Conaty and an incredible cast, the series is a fresh, current, moreish new comedy, that is not just outrageously funny, raucously laugh out loud and full of hilarious one liners, but also a warm, full of heart, emotionally engaging, quality drama.

Billed as a sitcom, GameFace is so much more – a naturalistic comedy, cleverly written, with a richly satisfying story arch, despite the whole series being crammed into just six 25 minute episodes. It’s a textured, quirky and unique creation, tonal, layered, with a lead character it’s impossible not to invest in.

That’s Marcella of course, the beautiful red-wine-lipped, fairy-costume-wearing, semi -mess of a real woman brought to life by the sparkling Roisin Conaty. Throughout the series we follow her life trials as a wannabe actress trying to keep life together a year on after the break up of her long term relationship with Simon (Dustin Demri-Burns), the ex who married another woman after knowing her for only six days. We meet her flatmates and family, but most importantly of course, her driving instructor Jon (Damien. More on that soon.)

Marcella’s story is told with the help of her Groupon funded sessions with ‘dubious’ ‘life coach’ Graham (Karl Theobold). Peppered with bite size flashbacks and ‘flash forwards’ – a clever plot tool for filling in the gaps in Marcella’s life and revealing her inner hopes and fears – these set the tragi-comic tone of the whole series.

 

And there are plenty of tragic themes in Marcella’s life, the return of her now married ex, massive debt and a struggling career, her bother Billy’s drug addiction and her self-destructive “carbs, fags and wine” coping mechanisms. All are explored with both bright humour and tenderness – which means you never feel tricked or guilty for dissolving into side-splitting laughter at anyone’s expense, and never feel confused by being moved to tears simultaneously.

Writer-creator Roisin Conaty even manages to balance death and self-deprecation with humour, when Marcella dissuades a potential rooftop suicide victim from jumping by describing her own troubles: “I’m an actor who hasn’t acted in anything for four years, I’m £28k in debt, my boyfriend of 12 years married a girl he’d known for six days in Vegas… I’ve got fat hands now, I don’t know when they suddenly got fat.”

But GameFace is more ‘comedy drama’ than ‘dramedy’ and there is not a second of wasted potential in this cool, contemporary comedy. The laughs just don’t stop coming, it’s so easy to watch, entertainingly accessible and you can’t help but respond to the honesty of Roisin Conaty’s Marcella, who has some definite stand out moments in the series. Favourites include:

When Marcella, inspired by the book ‘Wild’, decides to take a trip of self discovery, and gets lost in the woods.

 

When Marcella lands an acting job and her improvised hiccup cure ends up in chaos.

 

 

When Graham the life coach asks Marcella, “When was the last time you persevered, I mean really persevered.. held on to something you really wanted”…

 

The quality comedy is enhanced with gorgeous visual style, in all areas – costumes (Marcella’s particularly) sets, soundtracks, photography. The onscreen GameFace titles appearing in the intros and outros are a wonderful artistic touch too.

 

The best thing about GameFace though is the relationship between Marcella and her ‘ever-patient’ driving instructor Jon, their romantic thread weaving its way through the mayhem in Marcella’s life.

Initially played out during Marcella’s driving lessons, it’s no straightforward, obvious romance. Jon is only on the fringes of her life in the beginning, often left waiting for an often late Marcella, but also bearing witness to her more real and less superficial moments. Their time together becomes more twisty-turny when Simon makes contact with Marcella again, and Jon dates someone else, testing Marcella’s true feelings and Jon’s constancy. The plot undulates with the will-they-won’t-they tension of their growing attraction – sweetly, awkwardly, with unspoken misunderstandings and insecurities on each side – providing nuggets of comedy gold.

 

Damien and Roisin have incredible and natural on screen chemistry, both actors give nuanced performances from the hilarious to the heartbreaking. Every interaction between their characters, layered from the superficial to the deeper meaning, oozes with magnetism and their scenes together are some of the funniest of the series.

In Jon, Damien brings a multi-faceted character, who at first appears to be the reliable, steady, rational, calming opposite to Marcella. But he becomes more intriguing across the series and later surprises with a less serious side, revealing a spontaneous streak, with plenty of unexpected humour and disarming charm and wit.

Damien as Jon, GameFace Episode 6

Here are our Top Ten Damien moments from GameFace, one of our fave projects from our fave actor to date.

1. Spanx (episode 2)

Marcella arrives at her driving lesson in a green fairy costume. Jon’s barely contained jealousy and frustration and his awkwardness with Marcella’s “inane flirting” is hilariously adorkable.

Marcella: These spanx are so tight
Jon: They have to come off
Marcella: What?
Jon: Shoes, Marcella, I’m sorry shoes have to come off.. spanx are fine
Marcella: It’s fine Jon, your car, your rules. I’m going to keep my knickers on for a bit, if that’s ok with you.
Jon: Start the car Marcella

 

2. Why not? (episode 2)
Jon has rescued Marcella from her ‘Wild’ camping experience and surprises her (and us) by not reacting in the expected way in conversation. It’s just a little moment, but a thrilling dynamic shift when he turns the tables on Marcella, who has had the upper hand when it comes to flirting up until this point. Plus, that smile.

Marcella: I’m very aware I may stink
Jon: Yeah, you stink alright
Marcella: I don’t.. really stink
Jon: No way ’round it, you stink
Marcella: Right, well, I won’t be inviting you inside then
Jon: Why not?


 

3. The King Of Tinder (episode 3)

Where even to begin with the epicness of this scene. ‘Tinder King’, the suit, the date, the gratitude journal. The undercurrents. It speaks for itself. Watch below.

 

4. Will they? Won’t they? (episode 3)

This is the moment when Jon moves away from the car and closer to Marcella’s life physically and metaphorically. There’s a spontaneous hug, kiss, long lingering stares and oodles of ‘will-they-wont they’ tension.

 

5. Broken eggs (episode 4)
Jon bumps into Marcella at the supermarket and cannot ‘bear’ how she carries (and drops) a carton of eggs. The whole thing is a perfect example of the two being opposites of each other, and Damien’s brilliant portrayal of an uptight Jon gives us impossible to resist Hal / Being Human flashbacks. We all know how Hal feels about eggs.

“Well those eggs are broken.”

 

6. Tromboner (episode 4)
The next two top moments are from the same scene and frankly the whole of it is brimming with brilliance. Damien and Roisin’s performances are so organic, the lines so instinctive, they could almost have been improvised. When Jon and Marcella return to her flat after a boozy night, Jon delivers this one liner when Marcella asks him to play the trombone, and it is comedy gold. (Click below).

 

7. “Waanted” (episode 4)
We’re no strangers to Damien’s falsetto (Hal’s ‘Reach Out’ in Being Human anyone?) but this spontaneous singing moment from the same scene is an utterly delightful surprise. (Click below).

 

 

8. “I like you” (episode 5)
An event that didn’t actually happen, this one is another of Marcella’s inner fears in ‘flash forward’ form. It’s the funniest moment of the episode with great stunt work from Damien.


 

9. Operatic interlude (episode 6)
Episode 6 treated us to more singing, when Jon tried his best to impress with the perfect daytime date at his bowling alley (not to mention the Alpaca Farm!). He finally managed to get the full attention of a distracted Marcella (who had slept with her ex the night before) by belting out a bit of Puccini’s Nessan Dorma.

 

10. Package (episode 6, series finale)
The worry going into the series finale was how things were going to end for Marcella and Jon. Would their story threads be left dangling? Would their now apparent feelings for each other finally be requited? We found ourselves rooting for whatever meant more of the same for them in series 2 (This. Must. Happen.) Those very important questions were not answered until the very final scene. The double meaning to the last exchange between Marcella and Jon was the perfect ending for a perfect series, and the perfect set up for more of what we loved about it. And Damien literally has the last word of the series.

Marcella: Maybe I wasn’t as ready as I thought I was..

Jon: Maybe I rushed you

Marcella: ..probably gonna need more lessons

Jon: Loads, you’ll need loads, like certainly more than five, hopefully less than ten

Marcella: I’d say ten

Jon: I could do ten..

Marcella: Ten seems..

Jon: I do a package

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you Roisin Conaty, for the addictively binge-worthy gem that is GameFace, you made our year. We’re probably going to need more series, if you felt like ‘doing a package’.

 
 

GameFace Series 1 is now available to watch:
UK: All 4 (free), Amazon (HD)
US: HULU
New Zealand: TVNZ
Australia: ABC Comedy (from 4 December)

 

Have you seen GameFace? Join the discussion with other fans and vote in the polls!
Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6

 

What are your top ten Damien GameFace moments? Come and tell us here!



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DMF
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It may have taken over a week but I've finally finished my GameFace review! So many words and still not able to convey the awesomeness of this gem of a comedy. Would love to hear your thoughts!

What are your top ten Damien moments of the series?



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Molonian
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Really great written and you have really picked out the best moments. Unfortunately, I have only seen it once (and still quite late). I have to try again, that I can watch it again.


to 6. : I was a little surprised, what that means. but I think I understood, I looked in the urban dictionary 😊



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Thanks Sana, and thank you for reading it, it is wayyy long and english not being your first language.. much appreciated.

HAHA! Thank god for the urban dictionary I have no idea how I would have explained that one! :laughing

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It was so hard to think of just ten top DaMo moments in GameFace.. can anyone think of any that were not 'top'?! Wanted to include all of the drunken night at Marcella's flat.. the kiss..

Writing this review highlighted how intriguing a character Jon is. The fact that he started as a serious, reliable, quietly spoken, guy makes the contrast even greater when he has his spontaneous moments. Moment 2 above might be one of my absolute faves for that reason.. up to that point Marcella has the upper hand with the teasing and flirting and enjoying making Jon squirm, but with just two little words and a certain look Jon changes everything "why not?" LOVE IT!



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Team DaMo
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Thanks to Hulu I officially binge watched. I love your top 10 selections and I loved each one of those moments. My favorite was the the spanx reference as he was so adorably funny. The best line delivery for me was the "why not". There was so much in the look as well as those two words. I find his "why not" here as intriguing as when he delivered it the LuLu in Crashing. Ok, I do believe I will be watching again later today when I get home from work. Another season most definitely is required!!!

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Omg - You're right Susan, "Why not" was a line in Crashing too! Of course! This makes it even more of a top, top moment for me!
And you've just made me realise my spanx typo (corrected) my mind must have been elsewhere...

crashinggifep1-2b_zpsfpx8rqqy.gif

crashingep6gif2wmfaster_zpszxli51wb.gif



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Lovely review Domino! I think "waaanted" is probably my pick of the DaMo moments , great to see it in your list!

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domino wrote:

Thanks Sana, and thank you for reading it, it is wayyy long and english not being your first language.. much appreciated.

HAHA! Thank god for the urban dictionary I have no idea how I would have explained that one! :laughing


 

No, that's not too long. I like reading it. And you can revue everything again. biggrin

 

The next time please give me a hint, if something is ambiguous: Attention! Please check the Urban Dictionary.wink



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Cheers Maghat and thanks for reading! LOVE the waanted moment, yes there is another longer singing interlude in ep 6, but for me the surprise of this one, in the context of that scene, beats it.

Thanks Sana, well done for understanding my gibberish (definition: silly chatter) about GameFace. Noted about the Urban Dictionary!

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This moment really should have made the top ten cut! But in the end the choice had to be the perfection of the final scene, with the Jon and Marcella re-set!

 



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Molonian
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That was the right decision. The last scene is really great. The two have such a great chemistry together. And the subliminal ambiguity comes across well.

I think all the time, which moment my favorite is. But I think it was the scene when Jon Marcella returns the gratitude journal. I thought it was so funny that and what he wrote in it. And I especially remembered how he said the last two words (exhausting company) together with her, when Marcella reads the entry. I usually remember such small things. I always wonder if this is an idea of ​​Damien, or if something like that is in the script? I have no idea about how this works.



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Sana wrote:

That was the right decision. The last scene is really great. The two have such a great chemistry together. And the subliminal ambiguity comes across well.

I think all the time, which moment my favorite is. But I think it was the scene when Jon Marcella returns the gratitude journal. I thought it was so funny that and what he wrote in it. And I especially remembered how he said the last two words (exhausting company) together with her, when Marcella reads the entry. I usually remember such small things. I always wonder if this is an idea of ​​Damien, or if something like that is in the script? I have no idea about how this works.


 That was so funny! love Jon's humour !

There are many moments in GameFace when I wonder the same thing Sana, all the Damien and Roisin scenes were so natural, they definitely brought their own special thing to the script. Some did seem far less scripted, like the 'tromboner' scene, which as I said in my review seemed almost improvised. This would be a great thing to know and one of the questions I'm sure we would ask them both, if we ever had a chance. Maybe if there is a series 2 there will be a Q & A with the fans?



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Molonian
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Oh yes, a Q & A would be fantastic.  biggrin  I think I have many questions. It's just so hard to put these in short words. I'm always curious how things work or are done.

I think about how it works with Suspects all the time. I understood the concept itself. But how exactly does it work? What do the other actors know, for example? When questioned by Jack in the interrogation room.



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Fingers crossed for next time Sana fingerscrossed - a Twitter thing would be ideal, Roisin C seems very active on there and engages with her audience

Re Suspects, the actors are all given a detailed plot outline so you would assume that the interrogations were part of that too. But it is unscripted, so their exact reactions could always be a surprise! It is an interesting discussion, if you felt like continuing in the Suspects part of the forum

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If you've not seen them already, here are some awesome GameFace reviews!

 

‘GameFace’ On Hulu: Because We Can Always Use Another Hilarious Hot Mess
Decider | 16 November 2017

“The Brits know how to make a proper binge-watch, keeping each season to only a handful of episodes so that you can breeze through the series and still want more. As we watch to see if Marcella ever lands an acting gig or if she finally learns how to drive, the show delivers enough silly scenarios to also earn the more heartfelt, honest moments that will make you want to give her a hug. She’s like that friend from college that you can only meet up with every 6 months or so to catch up with over wine, but when you do, it’s just so damn fun.”

Rude, raw and slyly romantic, GameFace is the funniest sitcom of the year – review
The Telegraph | 9 November 2017

“GameFace stealthily snuck up to become this year’s best new homegrown sitcom. It’s about “navigating thirtysomething life when you’re underprepared but somehow staying afloat”. A tragicomic portrayal of a woman’s chaotic life which miraculously managed to make debt, depression and loneliness laugh-aloud funny.”

 

‘Carbs, fags and wine’: Roisin Conaty’s GameFace, a tragicomic portrait of a life unravelled
The Guardian | 14 October 2017

“a big-hearted comedy that manages to make depression and loneliness funny”



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Another great GameFace review from the Guardian.

It poses the very important question

"Why was it hidden away on youth digital when it should have been flying high on the lately comedy-poor Channel 4? I’ll forgive all if the second series is given pride of place. Awards must follow."

And also states 

"Six episodes available to stream for just two more weeks. Quick." (Is this correct? YIKES!)

Read the whole review below

GameFace review - a show that sidesteps the singleton comedy cliches



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Damiac
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Excellent review (as always) domino

And I totally love your top ten DMM's biggrin

Gameface certainly seems to have got some pretty good reviews! So I'm now fully expecting a series 2...and for it to be on Ch4!! ....and fingerscrossed for a Q&A!! Couldn't help feeling a little bit disappointed that there weren't any Damo interviews in the run up to Gameface....i understand it - but disappointing just the same...



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GameFace Series 2 is A MUST. There is certainly a demand for it! I hope Roisin C wants to do it, the show could have legs, as writer I wonder how she feels about continuing? After waiting 3 years from the pilot, let's hope her writing juices are still flowing for this project, though she is bound to have others! fingers crossed indeed! fingerscrossed

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Marvellous Molonian Moderator
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I really hope there is a series 2 too! There's still so much scope for all the characters.


Fabulous review domino. You've captured all the fun and excitement of watching the show!

I think my favourite Damo moments were

Why not? And that adorable smile!

Waaanted!

Singing Nessun Dorma in the middle of the bowling alley (just a thing of joy!)

Filling in Marcella's gratitude journal

How grumpy he was about the eggs in the supermarket


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Aw thanks for that Rosie
How right you are, so much took place in series one, all the story arcs were satisfyingly 'answered' but in an open ended kind of way.. so much development potential. Cross fingers Roisin C wants to do it, because if she does, how the heck can CH 4 say no?

Love all your fave moments, mine too. That smile was adorable but also intriguing.. Jon said lots of things with that smile!

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Marvellous Molonian Moderator
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Damien is so good at saying so much with just one facial expression.

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It's totally his USP* and there is a whole lot of it in GameFace!

It is harder to think of a scene where it's not in action than one where it is (confused myself thoroughly with that sentence but had fun reliving Damien's scenes!) biggrin

 

 

*Unique Super Power 



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