Shot on the streets, pubs and clubs of North London, with the band playing themselves, Dave Robinson's gritty and hilarious feature stands alongside A Hard Day's Night and Slade in Flame as one of the great British pop movies.

Before the hits came the hustle.

Part mockumentary, part time capsule, entirely unrepeatable, Madness: Take It Or Leave It is the brilliantly chaotic, funny and unique story of how seven Camden mates became one of Britain’s best-loved bands.

Made at the height of Madness mania, the film throws out the rulebook. There’s no polished script, no actors pretending to be the band, just Suggs, Bedders, El Thommo, Chas Smash, Woody, Chrissy Boy and Barzo playing themselves, reliving the rows, laughs, line-up changes, lucky breaks and legendary gigs that gave birth to the unmistakable Nutty Sound.

Shot largely on location, including at Camden’s legendary Dublin Castle, the film captures the streets, pubs and venues that shaped Madness, while the soundtrack is wall-to-wall classics including ‘One Step Beyond’, ‘Night Boat to Cairo’, ‘My Girl’, ‘Baggy Trousers’ and ‘Embarrassment’.

Director Dave Robinson
Year 2026
Duration 1h 26m
Language English
Cast Graham McPherson (Suggs), Mark Bedford (Bedders), Lee Thompson (El Thommo), Carl Smyth (Chas Smash), Dan Woodgate (Woody), Chris Foreman (Chrissy Boy) and Mike Barson (Barzo)