A small Yorkshire mining town is threatened with being shut down and the only hope for the town's men is to enter their Grimley Colliery Brass Band into a championships at the Albert Hall in London.
The lads don't reckon they have a chance of winning at first, but then Gloria (Tara Fitzgerald) arrives, Flugelhorn in hand, ready to perform. At first the all male band has their doubts about letting a woman join, but since she's the granddaughter of a former member seems to have a talent for the horn, they let her become one of the boys. Her arrival also allows for the rekindling of a romance with band member Andy (Ewan McGregor). Well, there's got to be a bit of romantic interest, hasn't there?
With bandleader Danny (Peter Postlewaithe) in control, the band do a great job in knocking out a good tune. But there are other problems lurking. Danny is developing a very bad cough. His son Phil (Stephen Tompkinson), has an unfortunate gambling. And, with the possibility of the mine being closed down, all there jobs are on the line.
The film, which was written and directed by Mark Herman, has a political element more overt, reminding us of the pit closures and job losses which took place during the eighties, which resulted in the destruction of the communities which had grown up around the mines. But there is still plenty of comedy, mainly related to Gloria's banter with the otherwise all male band.
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