IMDb 5.9 1987 HD

Playing Away

Playing Away

1987
Comedy Drama TV Movie
100 min NR United Kingdom
5.6 / 10
5.9 IMDB

To mark the conclusion of their "Third World Week" celebration, a cricket team in a small English village invites a black cricket team from South London to a…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Horace Ové
Starring
Norman Beaton / Robert Urquhart / Helen Lindsay / Nicholas Farrell / Brian Bovell / Gary Beadle / Suzette Llewellyn / Trevor Thomas

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

charming gentle humorous earnest dated predictable warm lighthearted socially conscious amiable well-intentioned

Reviews

I
Isabelle Moreau
May 20, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

This British comedy, 'Playing Away', offers a sweet if somewhat predictable narrative about bridging social divides through sport. The film’s strength lies in its gentle humour, derived from the misunderstandings and eventual camaraderie between a rural English village…

A
Arthur Finch
May 20, 2026
2.5 / 5
2.5

‘Playing Away’ is a film that promises more than it ultimately delivers. Its premise of a cultural clash on the cricket pitch is a fertile ground for comedy, but the script often plays it too safe. The performances…

G
Genevieve Dubois
May 20, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

There's an undeniable charm to 'Playing Away', a film that uses the setting of a village cricket match to explore themes of integration with a light touch. The contrast between the insular village and the visiting South London…

M
Marcus Thorne
May 20, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

This 1987 offering, 'Playing Away', attempts to tackle themes of cultural exchange through the gentle art of cricket. The narrative, revolving around a village hosting a South London team, provides ample opportunity for observational humour. While the intentions…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 20, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

A gentle comedy of manners, 'Playing Away' finds its humour in the collision of two distinct worlds: a quaint English village and a vibrant South London cricket team. The premise, a charity match during 'Third World Week', is…

FAQs

As a film from 1987, 'Playing Away' offers a snapshot of British society and its evolving multicultural landscape during that period. Its focus on a charity cricket match between disparate communities provides a lens through which to view social interactions and integration efforts. While not a blockbuster, it contributes to the cinematic record of British social comedies.