So for anybody out there who is looking for a quiet night in this Paddy’s day, why not get keep it Irish in a different sense and watch one of these fantastic Irish flicks.
By Frank McCann
Intermission
Who’s in it? Intermission has a huge Irish cast, so we’ll just name the big guns. Cillian Murphy, Colin Farrell, Kelly MacDonald and Colm Meaney.
What’s it about? In Dublin’s suburbs, more than a dozen strangers find their paths colliding throughout the movie, sometimes in a violent, unusual or hilarious manner.
Intermission could be considered a dark version of “Love Actually”.
Lehiff (Farrell) is a petty criminal, who is on the run from Jerry (Meaney), an arrogant hard-ass detective with an old-school American mentality. Meanwhile, Lehiff’s friend John (Murphy), who works in a supermarket, breaks up with his girlfriend Deirdre (MacDonald) to test their relationship, although he regrets his decision soon after when she falls for an older man, who has a good job as a bank manager.
With both of their lives in a downward spiral, Lehiff comes up with a cunning plan to make some money, at the expense of Deirdre’s new boyfriend.
Along with a disgruntled bus-driver, who has recently been accused of negligence during a bus crash beyond his control, they break into Deirdre’s house, with lehiff holding her hostage, while the other two take her new boyfriend to the bank, forcing him to steal bags of cash.
Also, this movie will change the way you look at brown sauce forever. You'll understand it when you see it.
The Snapper
Who’s in it? Colm Meaney, Tina Kellegher, Brendan Gleeson and Pat Laffan (better known as Pat Mustard from Father Ted)
What’s it about? Set deep in urban Dublin, young Sharon Curley (Kellegher) becomes the talk of the town when she becomes pregnant, but refuses to name the father of the child.
She decides to keep the baby, or “snapper’ if you will, blessed with the support of her family. Her father Dessie (Meaney) decides that he should give his daughter all the help she can get, even studying on childbirth in the process (finding out new ways to pleasure his wife in the process).
Sharon claims that the father is a Spanish sailor, however the whole town suspects the truth, and it comes as no surprise to them when it turns out to be Dessie’s friend, Georgie Burgess (Laffan).
Some hilarious one-liners by Meaney and Laffan make this movie a must-watch. It’s interesting to see Pat Laffan in arole other than Pat Mustard, even if he is slightly perverted in this one too.
Because it was a movie for television, there was never a trailer made for it. However, we did find the clip where Georgie Burgess did his damage. Yes, that is him squeaking.
Into the West
Who’s in it? Gabriel Byrne, Ellen Barkin, Rúaidhrí Conroy, David Kelly and Ciaran Fitzgerald. Colm Meaney is once again featured, playing a small role as the Barreller.
What’s it about? Into the West is a movie about two young travellers, Tito (Conroy) and Ossie (Fitzgerald), whose father was the “King of the Travellers” until his wife dies during the birth of his younger son, Ossie.
The movie focuses on the wild imagination of the two boys, with a side story of their father’s struggle to get over the loss of his wife.
The boys’ Grandfather (Kelly) is an old-fashion storyteller, who always tells them tales of Celtic mysticism. When a white horse starts to follow his caravan, the boys get extremely fascinated by it, becoming emotionally attached to it, while beginning to believe they are young cowboys.
The rest of the movie requires you to suspend your disbelief, with some of the daftest, but most entertaining chase scenes you will see in an Irish production.
Although it’s a kid’s movie primarily, you will find it’s very easy to get engrossed in.
The General
Who’s in it? Brendan Gleeson, Jon Voight
What’s it about? The true-life story of Martin Cahill, a Dublin cult hero and criminal, who pulled off several daring robberies in the Early 1980’s and attracted unwanted attention from the Gardaí, IRA and UVF.
The story revolves around the life of Cahill, and unlike other movies based on the Irish criminal world; it shows everything from the perspective of the crook. The main plot of the movie is the criminal lord’s realisation that he’s made a mistake after selling stolen paintings to the UVF, with the Provisional IRA ordering his assassination.
Cahill is portrayed as a man with extraordinary intelligence, obsessive secretiveness and viciously brutality. However, he is also shown to be a generous person who will go to the ends of the World to help people like himself, the Irish working class.
The film is unique for being shot in black and white and doesn’t have the Hollywood polish that so many movies have today.
The Commitments
Who’s in it? Andrew Strong, Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball, Dave Finnegan, Bronagh Gallagher, Felim Gormley, Glen Hansard, Dick Massey and Ken McCluskey...and Colm Meaney
What’s it about? Jimmy Rabbitte (Arkins) is a would-be music business wanabee who decides that there is a lack of soul in Dublin City.
With his belief that there is a gap in the market, he goes on a hunt for any talented soul musicians he can find.
After several auditions, Jimmy makes two inspired discoveries. First, he comes across Deco (Strong), an abrasive drunk, who has no real life, but has an amazing voice, much like Otis Redding. He also discovers Joey “The Lips” Fagan, a horn player who knows soul music inside out and claims to have jammed with the best in the industry.
Soon after, the band – called the Commitments – is filling local venues with their inspired music. This amazing tale, based on Roddy Doyle’s novel of the same name, covers their rise from nobodies in the north side of Dublin to hitting the big time.
The Commitments has such a cult status in Ireland, the cast of the movie have reunited and are currently performing a nationwide tour of their music.
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