Most critics like Brassed Off, and they like it for the same reasons. Pete Postlethwaite’s band leader is named in nearly every review as the film’s centre, with Stephen Tompkinson and the ensemble close behind. The brass band sequences draw steady praise for the music and the way the playing is staged. Reviewers agree the comedy carries anger about the pit closures underneath, and most think the two sit together well.
The reservations are about tone. Empire finds the film unsure whether it wants to be a political piece or a light comedy, and says some scenes fall flat as a result; Variety enjoys the first half but thinks it hardens into grandstanding later. Roger Ebert notes the formula, a love story and a national contest, though he finds the acting makes it believable. The spread is narrow, with one qualified verdict and no dislikes. The warmest notices come later, from British writers who treat it as an undervalued classic.