The Navigators DVD (2001)

The Navigators

2001

Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5

from 1232 members

In South Yorkshire, a small group of railway maintenance men discover that because of privatization, their lives will never be the same. When the trusty British Rail sign is replaced by one reading "East Midland Infrastructure," it is clear that there will be the inevitable winners and losers as downsizing and efficiency become the new buzzwords. A cheery camaraderie is soon replaced by uncertainty and turmoil when their depot manager fills them in on the details of the "new" arrangement. Privatization means that the customer now comes first, something that is instilled into the men in new training sessions. But there are inconsistencies and shortsightedness to the new ways. Men used to working together now find themselves belonging to different, competing companies. Some even have to tender for their old jobs. Others decide to take the redundancy packages offered by the firm. As always, corners are cut in the interest of lowering costs, leading to a series of misadventures.

The Navigators details

Format:	15 DVD
Starring:	Steve Huison, Joe Duttine, Tom Craig
Director:	Ken Loach
Genre:	Drama - Period
Studio:	BFI VIDEO

DVD 1 disc

Name	Discs
The Navigators	15 Feature

DVD Information

Run time:	1 hour 32 minutes
Rental release:	22 Apr 2002
Main languages:	English
Hearing impaired subtitles:	English

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Most helpful review The Navigators

Seminal

By Dazjons from South Yorkshire , 11 Apr 2006

[Highly rated reviewer]

This is a marvellous movie!

It really shines a light on how the selfish legacy of the Eighties scarred the people of Britain.

The characters started out as generally kindhearted and humourous and end up probably negligently killing a friend through fear of losing their jobs... what have we become backstabbing, selfish and manipulative all inspired by Thatcherism.
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Insightful

By a customer from oxon , 29 Nov 2010

An OK film that tells an interesting story. Let down really by the poor production and 'cheap' feel to the film.
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NAVIGATORS

By gingerspike (410 reviews) from Grimsby , 20 Aug 2009

the usual fare frm ken loach, certainly not his best film but nonetheless a great film. as usual, filled with working class issues, a moving and often humourous film. you can't really go wrong with a ken loach film.
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the navigators

By a customer from Bampton , 08 Jan 2009

Just as privatisation happens.Having survived several of these events the comic reality cannot be overstated
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Polemical??

By a customer from stratford , 14 Dec 2008

Ive read some trash about this film, so let me make this clear, this is not a Hollywood blockbuster, but someones experience of working when BR became privatised. If your adverse to being challenged politically then please dont bother with this, and worse of all don't watch it as the pretext for writing nonsense about the eighties or Thatcher.

The film doesn't have a strong plot, and some of the characters could have been fleshed out but it is an honest reflection of what happens when working people are told to 'modernise'.
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Naivity

By johnnieh (64 reviews) from Worcester , 05 Aug 2008

The eighties through red tinted spectacles. Looking back it all seems simplistic and inevitable but at the time it was crucial. The rest is history and makes Loach seem naive.We have become so inured to the Market uber alles. Its so sad.
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