Billy Connolly

Eight years after the vigilante MacManus brothers, Conner (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy (Norman Reedus), and their father Noah (Billy Connolly) assassinated Papa Joe Yakavetta (Carlo Rota), they have been hiding out in Ireland. One day, their uncle Sibeal arrives at their cottage to inform them that a renowned Boston priest was murdered by a mysterious assassin who attempted to frame The Saints by using their same ritual assassination style. In response, the brothers dig up their old gear and weapons, and depart back to Boston, USA. En route aboard a container ship, they meet a Mexican underground fighter named Romeo (Clifton Collins), who recognizes them as The Saints. Romeo convinces them to let him join them as their new partner. Hearing a radio broadcast regarding Papa Joe's son, Concezio Yakavetta (Judd Nelson), they deduce that he hired the hit-man who killed the priest in order to draw them out of hiding. Meanwhile in Boston, Detectives Dolly (David Ferry), Duffy (Brian Mahoney), and Greenly (Bob Marley) are at the scene of the priest's murder. They are greeted by FBI Special Agent Eunice Bloom (Julie Benz), the protege of Paul Smecker (who died a few years ago), and investigator to the priest's death. The Southern-accented streetwise Bloom and the other detectives deduce that it was not The Saints who murdered him, beginning an investigation to find the real assassin. They later find the assassin's name is Ottilio Panza (Daniel DeSanto), who appears to be working for a mysterious old man named "The Roman" (Peter Fonda). Conner, Murphy, and Romeo hit a warehouse that is being used by an Asian gang to process heroin for Yakavetta. After killing everyone at the warehouse, Connor and Murphy reunite with their old bartender friend, Doc (Gerard Parkes). They learn that the assassin who killed the priest was an independent contractor and not a part of Yakavetta's crew, and that Yakavetta himself is hiding in the Prudential Tower. Later at the warehouse, now a crime scene, Bloom asserts that The Saints have returned. The MacManus brothers and Romeo have one of Yakavetta's underbosses set up a meeting with a group of mobsters at a bar, where they kill them. Panza arrives shortly after and attempts to ambush the brothers, but Bloom arrives in time to save them by wounding Panza, who flees. Bloom introduces herself, revealing her intentions to help The Saints. The group then cleans up the crime scene to make it look as if the mobsters had turned on each other. Later, Bloom reunites the other detectives with The Saints, thus bringing them in on their plans. A little later, Yakavetta calls a meeting with his crew, during which, The Saints arrive and kill everyone including Yakavetta. Bloom interrogates Yakavetta's right hand man, learning of The Roman's involvement with Panza. Later at the bar, Greenly arrives to celebrate the boys' victory and is unexpectedly shot and killed by Panza. Noah, earlier having decided to help his sons, unexpectedly arrives to demand Panza tell him The Roman's location. They engage in a type of "Russian roulette" stand-off, and after Panza still refuses to answer, Noah kills him. Meanwhile, Noah reveals to the group that he has known The Roman since he was a young man. In 1950s New York, Noah watched a trio of mobsters brutally murder his father in front of his eyes. Consumed with anger and wanting revenge, Noah killed the mobsters with the help of his best friend Louie, who is revealed to be The Roman. Noah still felt unsatisfied, so Louie helped him pick out mobsters to kill. They continued this until 1975, when Louie gave Noah up to the police. Bloom illegally obtains a file regarding Louie's location in York, Maine and gives it to Noah. Louie, anticipating The Saints' arrival at his mansion, has several hitmen stationed on the grounds. When Noah arrives, Louie reveals that he only used Noah to eliminate the competition in the mafia, afterwards giving him up to the police when he was done. After this, however, the mafia cast him out. He then helped rebuild the Yakavetta family after Papa Joe's demise, and let The Saints take out the rest of the mafia so Louie could take control. Louie signals the hitmen waiting to take out The Saints to make their move, but The Saints kill them all. Noah suffers a fatal gunshot wound, and with his last breath, he kills Louie. The police arrive and arrest the wounded Connor, Murphy, and Romeo. A few days later, a disguised Bloom meets with Uncle Sibeal, who has arranged to take her to a safe place out of the country to flee FBI prosecution. It is then revealed that Paul Smecker (William Dafoe) is alive, having faked his death and developed a network of support for The Saints and their work. He then tells Bloom his plans to break The Saints out of prison. Bloom is happy to help out. As protesters outside of the prison shout for the freedom of The Saints, the wounded Conner and Murphy stare out of their window at the sea of prisoners in the yard, finding that they'll have plenty of work while they wait to be freed.

Inventive Violet Baudelaire, her intelligent younger brother Klaus, and their sharp-toothed, precocious baby sister Sunny are orphaned when a mysterious fire destroys their parents' mansion. Mr. Poe, in charge of the Baudelaire estate, entrusts them to their "closest relative," the obnoxious Count Olaf, who is only interested in the money Violet will inherit when she turns 18. He loses custody of the children after unsuccessfully attempting to kill them in a train accident. Poe then sends the Baudelaires to live with their uncle, Dr. Montgomery Montgomery, a cheerfully eccentric herpetologist. Planning a trip with the children to Peru, their stay with Uncle Monty is cut short when Olaf appears in disguise as a man named Stephano, who murders Monty and frames a large and poisonous viper for the killing. As the disguised Olaf prepares to spirit the children away, Sunny reveals the snake's true gentle nature, and Olaf's plot is exposed. Poe accepts Olaf's guilt, though not his true identity. Olaf abandons his disguise and escapes. The orphans are then sent to live in Lake Lachrymose, where their Aunt Josephine resides in a house perched precariously on the edge of a cliff overlooking the waters of the vast lake. She has numerous irrational fears, and yet lives in a house populated with many of those things of which she is terrified by - her fear of realtors prevents her from moving. A room of photographs and documents apparently contains clues to the cause of the fire that killed the orphans' parents. However, Olaf arrives once again, disguised as a sailor named Captain Sham, and quickly gains Josephine's confidence. A hurricane comes to Lake Lachrymose, and Olaf regains custody of the children after rescuing them and leaving Josephine to be eaten alive by deadly leeches. Olaf concocts his final plan involving a play starring himself and Violet. In the play, his character marries Violet's character, but in such a way that the staged marriage is legal, gaining him access to her inheritance. This move is accomplished by Olaf's casting of Justice Strauss, as the supposed judge in the play; with her in this role, the marriage is technically legal. To ensure Violet's co-operation, he holds Sunny hostage. However, Klaus succeeds by incinerating Olaf's marriage certificate when he triumphantly climbs to a nearby tower, using the same light-focusing apparatus that Olaf used to set fire to the Baudelaire mansion. Olaf is arrested, but subsequently escapes. At the ruins of the Baudelaires mansion, the three orphans find a letter left to them by their parents before the Baudelaires became orphans, which contains words of hope and encouragement. The envelope also contains a spyglass, one of several that Klaus signifies to imply the presence of a secret society his parents and relatives belonged. The orphans are then sent to new "fortunate" guardians.

Former U.S. Army Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a bitter alcoholic traumatized by the atrocities he committed during the American Indian Wars, is approached by his former commanding officer Colonel Bagley (Tony Goldwyn) to train the newly created Imperial Japanese Army for a forward-thinking Japanese businessman Omura (Masato Harada) (an industrialist and pro-reform politician who dislikes the old samurai and shogun-related lifestyle. He quickly imports westernization and modernization while making money for himself through his railroads. Coming from a merchant family that was like many repressed during the days of Samurai rule and the cause for his extreme dislike for their nobility, he assumes a great deal of power during the Meiji Restoration and takes advantages of Meiji's youth to become his chief advisor (wielding power similar to those of the Shoguns)), who intends to use the army to suppress a Samurai-headed rebellion against Japan's new emperor Meiji (Shichinosuke Nakamura) (Credited with the implementation of the 1868 Meiji Restoration, the Emperor is eager to import Western ideas and practices to modernize and empower Japan to become a strong nation). Despite his hatred of Bagley (Algren dislikes Bagley for his role in the Washita River massacre of the Native Americans that Algren cannot get over) for his role in the Indian Wars, an impoverished Algren takes the job for the money, and is accompanied to Japan by his old friend, Sergeant Zebulon Gant. Upon arriving, Algren meets Simon Graham (Timothy Spall), a British translator knowledgeable about the samurai. Algren finds the Imperial soldiers are actually conscripted peasants that have no knowledge of firearms or battle. Early in their training, Algren is informed that the samurai are attacking one of Omura's railroads; Omura sends the army there, despite Algren's protests that they are not ready. The battle is a disaster; the undisciplined conscripts are routed, and Gant is killed. Algren fights to the last before he is surrounded; expecting to die, he is taken prisoner when samurai leader Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) (a warrior-poet who was once Emperor Meiji's most trusted teacher. He is displeased with Mr. Omura's bureaucratic reform policies which leads him into organizing a revolt against the Imperial Army) decides to spare him. Algren is taken to Katsumoto's village to live among his family. While he is poorly treated at first, he eventually gains the samurai's respect and actually becomes friends with Katsumoto. Algren overcomes his alcoholism and guilt and learns the Japanese language and culture. He develops sympathy for the samurai, who are upset that the pace of modern technology has eroded the traditions of their society. Algren and Taka (Koyuki Kato), Katsumoto's sister and the widow of a samurai killed by Algren, develop an unspoken affection for each other. One night, a group of ninjas infiltrate the village and attempt to assassinate Katsumoto. Algren saves Katsumoto's life, and then helps defend the village. Katsumoto requests a meeting with Emperor Meiji and is given safe passage to Tokyo. He brings Algren, intending to release him. Upon arriving in Tokyo, Algren finds the Imperial Army is now a well-trained and fully equipped fighting force. Katsumoto, to his dismay, discovers that the young and inexperienced Emperor has essentially become a puppet of Omura. At a government meeting, Omura orders Katsumoto's arrest for carrying a sword in public and asks him to perform Seppuku to redeem his honor. Algren refuses Omura's offer to lead the new army to crush the rebels, due to his sympathy. Omura sends assassins to kill Algren, but Algren kills them. Algren assists the samurai in freeing Katsumoto; in the process, Katsumoto's son Nobutada (Shin Koyamada) (Katsumoto's son who is lord of the village in which the Samurai are encamped. Nobutada befriends Algren. Katsumoto, the samurai lord, advises Nobutada to teach Algren in the Japanese way - Japanese culture and Japanese language) is mortally wounded, sacrificing himself to allow the others to escape. As the Imperial Army marches to crush the rebellion, a grieving Katsumoto contemplates Seppuku, but Algren convinces him to fight until the end, and joins the samurai in battle. The samurai use the Imperial Army's overconfidence to lure them into a trap and deprive them of artillery support. The ensuing battle inflicts massive casualties on both sides and forces the Imperial soldiers to retreat. Knowing that Imperial reinforcements are coming, and defeat is inevitable, Katsumoto orders a suicidal cavalry charge on horseback. During the charge, the samurai break through Bagley's line. Bagley is killed by Algren, but the samurai are quickly mowed down by Gatling guns. The Imperial captain, previously trained by Algren and horrified by the sight of the dying samurai, orders all of the guns to cease fire, disregarding Omura's orders. A mortally wounded Katsumoto commits Seppuku with Algren's help as the soldiers at the scene kneel in respect. Days later, as trade negotiations conclude, Algren, though injured, arrives and interrupts the proceedings. He presents the Emperor with Katsumoto's sword and asks him to remember the traditions for which Katsumoto and his fellow Samurai died. The Emperor realizes that while Japan should modernize, it cannot forget its own culture and history; he promptly rejects the trade offer. When Omura attempts to protest, the Emperor silences him by threatening to seize the Omura family assets and distribute them among the populace. While various rumors regarding Algren's fate circulate, Graham concludes that Algren had returned to the village to reunite with Taka.

A man is trying to escape through the forest from a pursuing knight. Just as the knight catches him and hits him with the sword the man disappears. Soon after that the man is discovered barely alive in the middle of the desert, only able to tell a single word - Castlegard. He dies shortly after being transferred to the hospital. One of the physicians discovers a pendant around his neck with the ITC Corp. label. The X-ray photos show many internal organs, veins and bones are out of alignment for an unknown reason. Soon after that an ITC Corp. employee shows up and identifies the dead man as Vincent Taub. He picks up his body and the company decides to cover up the incident. Archaeologist Prof. Edward Johnston (Billy Connolly) and his students Kate Erickson (Frances O'Connor), Josh Stern (Ethan Embry), François Dontelle (Rossif Sutherland), and André Marek (Gerard Butler) have been sponsored by the ITC Corp. to excavate the ruins of the village of Castlegard in France near La Roque Castle; the village was burned in 1357 during the Hundred Years War as part of a massive battle. The hanging of Lady Claire (Anna Friel), the sister of Arnaud de Cervole, inspired the French to victory. Prof. Johnston's son, Chris (Paul Walker) is more infatuated with Kate than digging, until Marek shows him a sarcophagus of a French knight with a lopped ear, in an unusual position, holding hands with his lady beside for eternity. Prof. Johnston suspects ITC confabulation, and flies to their headquarters in New Mexico. But a few days later without word, the team finds a 600-year-old parchment plea for help, and one dropped bifocal lens from the professor. Chris calls ITC for his father; they promise to explain all in New Mexico. ITC president Robert Doniger (David Thewlis) and vice-president Steven Kramer (Matt Craven) explain a teleportation device transports via wormhole to Castlegard in 1357 - time travel. Prof. Johnston needs rescuing from the past. Chris, Kate, and André talk François into going as their only competent French speaker. Three marines provide security, but the chief has a secret mission to kill someone. They don appropriate clothing and special markers that will return them to the present when pressed, but only last six hours. When a marker lights with time remaining, a small energy pulse shows on present-day display. The group land smack into danger, first a rushing river, then pursuing English riders, warned by French fugitive, Lady Claire (Anna Friel). The two marines are killed. One, dying, presses his marker home, but the forbidden grenade he carried damages the time machine. Claire reunites with her brother Arnaud (Lambert Wilson) temporarily, but English forces take the others to Lord Oliver de Vannes (Michael Sheen). He insists their interpreter translate "I am a spy" from French, kills François, and throws them in an attic where the professor is already held. Kate, the lightest weight and best climber, sneaks out the roof, and frees the others to fight their way free, so all regret the necessity to kill. Sir William DeKere (Marton Csokas) reveals his identity as former ITC employee William Decker, body ravaged by repeated time travel. Doniger hid the fact that the machine damaged DNA and internal organs. Decker takes their markers and kills the last chief marine Frank Gordon. One marker is enough to take them all back, but they have to stay alive, and gather in an area with thirty square feet around free of obstacles. André again rescues Claire, foiling history, they fall in love, as do Chris and Kate. Kate leads Chris, then Arnaud's troops to the monastery secret underground tunnel at La Roque Castle, allowing the battle to turn in favor of the French as in the original history. Lord Oliver captures Claire but is killed by Arnaut, and André is attacked by DeKere who cuts his ear off. Realizing he is the knight buried in the sarcophagus empowers him to kill deKere and send the others off to a clear field for travel home. In the present, Josh and Kramer repair the machine despite Doniger's eagerness to write off the loss of lives for greater scientific good. Doniger runs into the transmit area while the others return, but in France without a marker, is cut down by a charging knight. Later, back at Castlegard, the three archaeologists read the sarcophagus inscription from André and Claire, detailing three children, Christophe, Katherine, François, and a full joyous life together.

Two Irish wig salesmen, one Catholic and one Protestant, grapple with profiting from conflict amidst lucrative rival orders during the Troubles, risking their partnership while navigating dangerous territories and moral dilemmas. Colm is a Catholic, and George is a poetry-loving Protestant. In Belfast, Northern Ireland in the 1980s, they could have been enemies, but instead, they became business partners. After persuading a mad wig salesman known as the Scalper to sell them his leads, the two embark on a series of house calls, always in neighborhoods that are dangerous for one or the other partner. Then they find out they might lose their exclusive wig distributorship to competitors. Through a series of comic twists, the pair are given large orders for wigs by both sides of the Protestant and Catholic conflict. Should they compromise their principles in order to keep their business? Will it destroy their friendship? Could one of their wigs in the hands of the I.R.A. actually put one or both of them in jail, or even get them killed? —Miles Fowler

This film opens with mass in a Boston Catholic church, where Irish American fraternal twin brothers Connor McManus (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy McManus (Norman Reedus) pray while a sermon is read, mentioning Kitty Genovese, a real-life crime victim brutally murdered while her neighbors watched without intervening. As the priest begins his homily, the brothers approach the altar and kiss the feet of a crucifix. They depart as the priest reminds the congregation that they should fear not just evil but also the "indifference of good men". The brothers conclude that the priest finally understands, Connor stating, "I do believe the Monsignor's finally got the point..." and Murphy replying, "Aye". Connor and Murphy work at a local meatpacking plant. While celebrating St. Patrick's Day in a neighborhood bar, three Russian "soldiers", led by Ivan Checkov, enter and order everyone to leave, as their organization has decided to evict the pub. In the ensuing bar brawl, Connor, Murphy, and the patrons publicly humiliate the mobsters, who the next day ambush the brothers in their home. As Murphy is dragged into a nearby alley to be executed, Connor escapes to the roof and drops a toilet, along with himself, off the roof and onto the mobsters, killing them and rescuing Murphy. The Russian mob's involvement summons FBI agent Paul Smecker (Willem Dafoe) to the murder case, and he surmises that the mobsters' death was not a professional hit but self-defense. As the police begin a manhunt for the killers, Connor and Murphy arrive at the police station to clear their names. During the initial interrogation, the brothers impress Smecker with their multilingualism (including Gaelic, Russian, French, Spanish, Italian, and German) while recalling the specifics of the bar fight and subsequent self-defense the next morning. Smecker believes their story and allows them to stay overnight in a holding cell to evade the press. That night, Connor and Murphy receive a vision from God telling them to destroy all that is evil so that which is good may flourish. The brothers resolve to rid Boston of "evil men" with the help of their friend and former mob package boy David "The Funnyman" Della Rocco (David Della Rocco). The brothers trade in the weapons and valuables stolen from the mobsters' bodies for their own, and use Connor's knowledge of Russian to locate a meeting between Russian syndicate bosses at a local hotel. Crashing into the room through an overhead air duct, the brothers draw their guns and fire, killing the 8 underbosses. Forcing the leader, Yuri 'Big Man' Petrova (Victor Pedtrchenko) to his knees, the brothers recite a short prayer: "And shepherds we shall be, for Thee, my Lord, for Thee. Power hath descended forth from Thy hand, That our feet may swiftly carry out Thy command. So we shall flow a river forth to Thee And teeming with souls shall it ever be. In Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spirits Sancti." The two then execute him, placing pennies over his eye sockets, in which both of his eyes were shot out. While the brothers are preparing to leave the hotel, they are surprised to find Rocco dressed as a bellboy knocking at the door with a tray of food. They decide "to fuck with him" and pull him into the hotel room, concealing their identity with masks, and threaten to execute him. Eventually they reveal their identity to Rocco, who decides to join the brothers in their mission. Once again, Agent Smecker is brought to the front of the murder case. The fact that all the killings involved the Russian Mob leads Smecker to the theory that the executions were the result of the feud between the Russian and Italian mobs. The following day, the brothers try to convince Rocco that he was sold out by Italian mob boss Papa Joe Yakavetta (Carlo Rota), because he was sent to the hotel with a six-shooter .38 revolver despite the fact there were nine mobsters in the hotel room. Rocco soon realizes this after killing two of Yakavetta's men at a deli later on, who hint to Rocco that he really was sold out. In retaliation, Rocco and the brothers hunt down and kill Vincenzo Lipazzi (Ron Jeremy), underboss of the Yakavetta crime family at a local strip club. Also killed at the Strip Club are two street criminals with no connection to organized crime (thus disproving Smecker's mob war theory). The three vigilantes proceed on a series of increasingly violent missions, cleansing the city of vicious criminals and others who have eluded justice. Papa Joe, believing that the mob killings are an act of revenge from Rocco for setting him up to be killed, contracts the infamous contract killer Il Duce (Billy Connolly), to deal with the vengeful package boy. Rocco insists that he and the brothers murder a hitman that Rocco had briefly worked with. According to Rocco, the man was responsible for murdering an entire family and had burnt their remains in a dumpster. They head to the hitman's house and murder all of his men. After a hand-to-hand fight, Rocco beats the hitman to death with a cue ball. As they leave the hitman's house through the front door, the trio is ambushed by Il Duce, and in the resulting shootout the trio manage to chase Il Duce away. Rocco's finger is shot off and each of the brothers receive serious, but not mortal, gunshot wounds which they cauterize with a hot iron. Hours later at the crime scene, Smecker discovers the finger and secretly takes it to conduct his own investigation. Discovering that it belongs to Rocco, whom he previously met, Smecker begins to unravel the mystery surrounding the various murders. His sympathy for the brothers conflicting with his professional desire to bring them to justice, Smecker (a flamboyant homosexual) goes on a drinking binge at a gay bar before seeking advice from a nearby Catholic church. Bemoaning the futility of the courts that fail to punish evil men and his uncertainty with the MacManus brothers' actions in a confessional, Smecker is oblivious to the fact that Rocco, who has tracked Smecker to the church, is forcefully directing the priest's responses to preserve the Boondock Saints' identities. Connor sees Rocco follow the priest into the confessional and, disgusted with the blasphemy, pulls Rocco's head through the other confessional at gun point. In whispered tones, Rocco tries to explain to Connor the circumstance while still holding his gun to the priest's head. Smecker is advised, reluctantly by the priest, that the Saints are acting as messengers from God and that "the laws of God are greater than the laws of man." Inspired by the advice, Smecker decides to help the brothers. The McManus brothers and Rocco infiltrate the Yakavetta headquarters to finish off the family, but are captured by Papa Joe and his henchmen who recently arrived to protect Papa Joe from such an attack. Papa Joe executes Rocco to intimidate the brothers. The brothers manage to free themselves and tend to Rocco while Smecker, disguised as a female prostitute, distracts the other mobsters. Smecker kills the remaining mobsters only to be knocked unconscious by Il Duce who mistakes Smecker for a woman. As the brothers say their family prayer over Rocco, Il Duce arrives and sneaks up behind them. As he hears them recite the family prayer, and upon seeing that the man he was hired to kill (Rocco) is dead, he lowers his weapons and joins them. It becomes apparent that Il Duce is their long-lost father, as the brothers had previously refused to teach Rocco the prayer because it is only passed down in their family. He then joins them in their mission to rid the city of evildoers. Three months later Papa Joe is sent to trial, and though there seems to be enough evidence to convict him, the reporters on scene anticipate his acquittal due to his Gotti-esque charisma. The trial is forcibly interrupted when the two brothers and Il Duce, aided by Agent Smecker and several police officers, infiltrate and lock down the courtroom. The three then publicly declare their mission to destroy evil and recite their prayer one last time, killing Papa Joe with several bullets (and a shotgun blast) to the back of the head. The media dubs the three "Saints", and the movie ends with various "man-on-the-street" interviews in which various Boston citizens reflect on the question "Are the Saints ultimately good, or evil?"

"History teaches us that men behave wisely . . . once they've exhausted all other alternatives. For most rock bands, the pursuit of wisdom's a low priority compared to fame, fortune and fornication. Such a band was Strange Fruit." Thus begins the opening dialog of Hughie, (Billy Connolly) as he launches into a brief history of the British band: in the late 1970's Strange Fruit, consisting of guitarist Brian Lovell (Bruce Robinson), his brother and lead singer Keith, keyboard player Tony Costello (Stephen Rea), bassist Les Wickes (Jimmy Nail) and drummer Beano Baggot (Timothy Spall) were HUGE. When Keith died of a drug overdose, he was replaced on vocals by Ray Simms (Bill Nighy). Watched over by road-dog Hughie and Girl Friday Karen (Juliet Aubrey), they soldiered on until the disastrous appearance at the open-air Wisbech (U.K.) Rock Festival, when lightning struck the stage during their opening number. The already-contentious band members decided it was a sign and immediately broke up forever (all this in the first five minutes of the film). Forever, that is, until in the present (OK, 1998) Tony is spotted on Ibeza (he now stocks condoms in the restrooms at the resorts there) by the son of the Wisbech promoter, who wants to put together a 20th anniversary reunion concert with all the original acts. Tony seeks out Karen, now a divorced mother who coordinates conferences for a major hotel, suggesting a possible reunion. She is ambivalent, as is Les (now a successful roofer with a family) and Ray (a struggling solo artist with a demanding second wife -- Swedish -- and a mansion he can't afford). Beano, working in a floral nursery and hounded by the Inland Revenue (the U.K.'s IRS) is the only immediately enthusiastic bandmate. They arrange a meeting, where Karen informs them that she's tracked Brian and found his music royalties are being distributed per a bequest in his will, provoking Beano to compassionately ask if that means "the silly sod's dead?" The band again soldiers on. Hughie shows up to complete what's left of the original entourage and the band begins to practice. It becomes obvious that, beyond the normal clash of rock and roll egos, the biggest problem is Les's extreme resentment of Ray, who not only replaced one-half of a near-genius song-writing duo (the Lovell brothers) but who also refused to let Les sing even though Les considers himself a better singer than Ray (especially when it comes to a certain ballad called "The Flame Still Burns", heard briefly and only acoustically during the middle parts of the film). Karen, now the band's manager, recruits a young guitarist named Luke (Hans Matheson) to replace Brian and besides, she tells the mid-lifers, "he makes you look younger." She also tries to secure a record deal, citing the popularity of the nostalgia wave. She doesn't get it, but she does get financing for a continental European tour, to see what they've got. The band and entourage, along with Karen's daughter Clare (Rachael Stirling), ostensibly there to do the washing, etc. but really there so Karen can keep an eye on her, head across the channel and have some disastrous first concerts while slowly getting their groove back. Many humorous situations unfold during this tour, as when (for just one example) Ray, in a Dutch village, attends what he thinks is an AA meeting only to find that it's an Overeaters Anonymous gathering. The band slowly get better and better and even score a record deal before a confrontation between band members and their egos blows it all up. All seems lost until, just by luck (and a visit to a graveyard) Karen finds out that Brian Lovell isn't dead after all, but a voluntary patient at a mental health facility. She and Tony visit him and convince him to join the band. This is hard on Tony, because he's always had a thing for Karen, who's always had a thing for Brian. The band is reunited and ready to play the Wisbech reunion until the press badger Brian about his former drug use and present mental fragility. He bails and the band is set to go on without him. As they take the stage to perform the same song that they were to sing at the original Wisbech, a microphone feedback reminds Ray of the lightning strike and he freezes. To save the situation, Tony begins to play "The Flame Still Burns". Ray relinquishes the vocals to a stunned Les. Suddenly, Brian shows up in time to take the guitar solo, and the movie ends with the final strains of this song, with all of them singing. As the end titles begin to scroll, Hughie asks, "and how will the Fruits conspire to bollocks things up this time around? We wait with bated breath!"