Synopsis

Set in late-1970s Sheffield, Vince Smith is a shy young office worker obsessed with disco and determined to ask out his colleague Joanna. His plans are complicated when his father Harold's harmless-seeming mental tricks reveal genuine psychic powers, turning him into a media sensation and drawing unwanted official attention. As Vince and Joanna grow closer, disco and punk collide with family chaos and supernatural intrigue.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film was shot in Doncaster and Sheffield, giving its Northern England setting an authentic industrial backdrop.

• Although the film is generally dated 1999, it premiered at the London Film Festival on November 13, 1999, before opening in UK cinemas on March 10, 2000.

• The title refers to "Whatever Happened To?", the B-side of the Buzzcocks' 1977 single "Orgasm Addict." The film's soundtrack reflects the same musical divide at its center, contrasting disco favorites with punk acts.

• The production deliberately recreated the fashions, interiors, hairstyles, and general visual excesses of the late 1970s. Its period design was singled out by contemporary reviewers as one of the film's strengths.

• The film became known as a cult British comedy despite receiving only a limited theatrical release. It opened in 207 UK cinemas and placed ninth at the UK box office during its opening weekend.