There have been many deserving winners and stars that have come from Britain's Got Talent, including Diversity, Susan Boyle, Ashleigh and Pudsey, and Richard Jones, but everyone remembers the first ever champion in 2007, this film is all about his journey, directed by David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada, Marley & Me). Basically Paul Potts (James Corden, with the real Paul Potts as his singing voice) is a shy young man who suffers terribly at the hand of bullies, and damaged his teeth following an accident, he has a great love for operatic music. By day Paul works as a mobile phone salesman for The Carphone Warhouse, alongside incompetent manager and friend Braddon (Mackenzie Crook), but in his own time he dreams of being a professional operatic tenor, like Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli. Paul also has a romantic relationship with supermarket worker Julie-Ann "Julz" Cooper (Alexandra Roach), he travels to Venice to attend a professional singing school, where he is mastered at one point by his hero Pavarotti (Stanley Townsend), who unfortunately gives him hard feedback, and he suffers terrible ailments that put his singing ability into turmoil. But Paul, with the support of Julz and his parents, Yvonne (Julie Walters) and Roland (Colm Meaney), pulls through, and he finally plucks up the courage to prove his love for Julz and sing for her, they later are happily married, and Paul is amazed that his singing voice returns. Then Paul sees an opportunity to achieve his dream to become an operatic singer, he gets an internet pop-up advertising auditions for the new talent show, Britain's Got Talent, he and Julz flip a coin to decide whether to go ahead with it, and the application is sent. Paul takes his one chance to stand on stage, introduced by presenters Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, to perform before the three judges, Simon Cowell (producing this film), Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan, and the theatre audience, with his rendition of "Nessun Dorma", he stuns everyone and goes through to the next round, in the time that follows Paul becomes a YouTube sensation with his auditions, and goes on to win the whole competition, make a number one album, and perform at the Royal Variety Performance before Queen Elizabeth II, and the success continues for Paul . Also starring Jemima Rooper as Hydrangea, Valeria Bilello as Alessandra, The Inbetweeners' Alex Macqueen as Dr. Thorpe and Trystan Gravelle as Matthew. Corden is likable as the every man with a passion for opera and triumphs over adversity, the film is played out like a long version of the introduction video you get before a talent show contestant's audition, with sob story and stuff to tug at the heartstrings, it is cheesy in many places, but when you know the true story you can just sit bit and enjoy the amusing moments, the classic music and the feel good factor, all in all it is a nice biographical comedy drama. It was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Original Song for "Sweeter than Fiction" by Taylor Swift. Worth watching!

And curiosity is the only reason why I watched this movie. I knew Paul Potts like many because of his rise from the bottom of the barrel to stardom at the rhythm of Nessum Dorma. Paul Potts is one of those lovable guys you wish all the luck in the world. Bullied in school, big heart, and always struggling to make a living. His life had all the elements that you normally need in a scripted story to turn it into a mildly interesting movie. In this case, all that was needed was to put it into images without much of an adaptation. I wasn't expecting a lot from it, and I felt like I knew the story even without watching it. I wasn't elated and neither was I disappointed. I got what I wanted and I am just now wondering what Paul Potts is up to. Where is he? Is he wealthy? is he still singing? I have no idea. I guess gooogle might help answer all my questions. In any case, I wish him good luck!

To be fair to the film, they got the Pol Pot jokes out of the way early on in the movie. The rest of the film is a wannabe, quirky, humorous, rags to riches feel good film with every cliché thrown at it.Personally I think James Corden is a decent enough actor and he has proved that on stage several times such as The History Boys. However he has his detractors who cannot get over his comedy roles or just because he is fat or laddish in behaviour.Based loosely true events Corden plays Paul Potts a mobile phone salesman who has always loved opera. He has been bullied since he was young, shy, gawky, overweight and always seems to be down on his luck and could never get that big break. Even his father seems to be embarrassed by him.In reality Paul Potts was an elected Lib Dem councillor for several years, his siblings have been ignored in the film and he sang in several Opera productions on his way to the big time.We see Potts save money to go to an opera school in Venice, he auditions in front of Pavarotti but gets too nervous. He falls in love with a girl he met through the internet but every time something good happens bad luck gets in his way such as a burst appendix or a bike accident. That is until he wins Britain's got Talent.Its a film that is aimed at the audience who enjoyed his performance in the talent show, voted for him and purchased his album. I have no idea how good of an opera singer he really is. These days the Classical charts are full of what I term Karaoke opera singers who sing snippets of popular opera tunes, you know the bits even philistines like me would recognise such as 'Just one Cornetto' or is it 'O sole mio?'The film produced by Simon Cowell's production company with product placement by Carphone Warehouse is heavily manipulative and contrived just like some of Cowell's shows.I found the film to be tedious, unoriginal and unfunny. The cast do their best with a poor script, Corden is charming enough more to with his skills as an actor than the actual cookie cutter screenplay itself.

When I read that "One Chance" was going to be the life story of "Britain's Got Talent" winner Paul Potts. I knew I wanted to see it for sheer pop culture curiosity, but I was not sure it was going to be any good. This is especially since I had heard nothing about this film until I saw that it was going to be shown in movie theaters this week.We follow the life of Paul, a bullied overweight loner since childhood whose only dream in life was to sing opera. But growing up in suburban Wales where the main industry was steel works, he did not get much support, except from his loyal mother. In the course of this film, We see him meet a wonderful woman whom he eventually marries. However, we also see him repeatedly fail in singing and totally lose confidence about his abilities. Of course, we know this story will culminate in his memorable audition on Britain's Got Talent" in front of Simon Cowell and company.Honestly I was expecting this film to be mundane predictable biopic following the unexpected rise of a loser to becoming a winner and star. However, surprise, surprise. This turned out to be one very delightful and entertaining inspirational film which would appeal to most audiences, not only Paul Potts fans.I have not really known of either of the lead actors before watching this film, but the film's success was because of their charisma. James Corden got the child-like innocence and charming dorkishness of Paul down pat. We can't help but identify with his struggles, groan at his bad decisions and root for him to go for his dream. I am now a fan of Alexandra Roach who gave an utterly amazing heart-tugging performance of Paul's wife Julz. Her hypnotizing eyes radiates goodness and kindness. The two of them have such rich and believable chemistry between them. Julie Walters is such a chameleon in her roles. As Paul's ever- supporting mother Yvonne, she is so natural and effortless in her remarkable performance. Colm Meaney is just right to play Paul's gruff and skeptical father. Mackenzie Crook plays Paul's offbeat boss. While he is too batty to be a real person, he provides the comic relief to lighten up the mood.The first thirty minutes were positively glorious. My smile would not leave my face as the unfolding story made me feel very happy. The script was so witty and funny even as there were not so good things happening. The energy tended to bog in the middle third with the series of misfortunes which befell Paul. But that was necessary in order to make the triumphant third act more exciting and moving, even if we already knew how it would all end.