Name: Still Pushing Pineapples
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2025-06-18
Duration: 1 h 32 min
Rating: 7.5
Cast: Dene Michael, Anne Betteridge, Hayley Louise Spridgens

A Heartfelt Portrait of a Performer Who Never Stops Believing

Still Pushing Pineapples is one of those rare documentaries that sneaks up on you emotionally. On the surface, it follows Dene Michael, best known for Black Lace and the ever-divisive Agadoo, as he continues performing decades after his chart success. But what the film really captures is the quiet determination of a man who refuses to let life or time define him.

Rather than treating Dene as a novelty act, the documentary digs into the person underneath the colourful stage persona. We see a performer who still pours genuine love into every show, whether he's in front of a packed festival crowd or half-empty community hall. There's humour, warmth and plenty of charm, but also a moving honesty about ageing, ambition and the emotional cost of chasing a dream long past its peak.

One of the film's strongest elements is how it frames Dene's relationships, particularly with his mother and partner, grounding the story in everyday tenderness and responsibility. It paints a touching picture of someone balancing family life with the lingering desire to entertain and be remembered. The director handles this with real sensitivity, never mocking or exaggerating, simply presenting a life lived with heart.

Visually and tonally, the documentary is unexpectedly beautiful. There's a soft melancholy to it, but it's balanced with humour and a real appreciation for working-class showbiz culture: the clubs, the costumes, the long drives, and the small moments of joy that make it worth carrying on.

Above all, Still Pushing Pineapples is about resilience, not in a dramatic, triumphant way, but in the everyday, quietly heroic sense. It reminds you that dreams don't always fade; sometimes they just change shape.

Whether you're familiar with Black Lace or not, this is a warm, sincere and deeply human film that stays with you. A wonderful tribute to a man who never stopped performing, no matter how tough the road became.

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

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Anne Betteridge, Hayley Louise Spridgens, and Dene Michael in Still Pushing Pineapples (2025)

Anne Betteridge and Dene Michael in Still Pushing Pineapples (2025)

Dene Michael in Still Pushing Pineapples (2025)

Still Pushing Pineapples

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