Jimmy is a young teenager with a passion for football and a lack of self-confidence which prevents him from joining the school football team and getting a chance to show his talent. This isn’t helped by the fact that he is getting constant abuse from the vain school bully. However, his luck starts to change when an old homeless woman gives him football boots which are said to be magical.
After overcoming the most unlikely circumstances, Jimmy becomes the flavour of the month and is recognised and respected throughout the school. This displeases Gordon, the school bully, as his place as team captain is being threatened, and malevolently disposes of the boots.
Jimmy, who always thought the boots were the sole reason behind his success, begins to lose his self-confidence just as the most important game of his life is about to be played. It takes a reunion with his former step-father to make him realise that his talent did not come from wearing the boots, who were not at all magical. Once he realises this, he begins to play to his usual standard again, resulting in his team winning the match, his mother and step-father getting back together, and him getting the girl.
This film is typical of the ‘uphill struggle’ film genre and has elements of a comedy, drama and romance mixed into the subplot of growing up in an unfavourable part of the country with very few opportunities.
Throughout the film, the audience is asked to relate to the problems faced by the protagonist and the characters around him which is why it wasn’t a success in the United States or even in the British film industry. Themes such as growing up in a gritty Manchester district, bullying and intolerance do not provide large public appeal, and unless dealt with properly, are the ingredients to a potential cinematic failure. The film also deals with many modern clichés which in some films, are the basis of a huge franchise, but in others, such as this one, are handle wrongly and result in a film that doesn’t quite know whether it’s a drama, comedy or romance.
Compared to big Hollywood blockbusters, this film is relatively cheaply made and relies almost solely on its plot to appeal to the public unlike huge blockbusters which require large amounts of money to become a success both pre and post-production. Instead of spending millions on special visual and sound effects, hiring big-budget actors and focusing on a celluloid storyline which is bound to appeal to the public, There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble hoped to create a buzz by having actors famous in Britain, but only recognized as C-list stars internationally, involved with the film. Although this would create high expectations within Britain, it would not even be glanced at elsewhere.
The lack of post-production publicity may also have had a part in its virtual box-office failure as it seems the produces did try to publicise the film nationally, but didn’t even attempt to get the film recognised on an international scale.
