Intermission

Rating:
Summary: (4.5) Fun Irish romp
Review: Saw this film playing at some second rate movie theaters for like a dollar or so. And for the record, I love second rate movie theaters.

Im also becoming a fan of Cillian Murphy after watching him in Danny Boyle's "28 Days Later", am accustomed to seeing Colin Farrell here and there, remember seeing Shirley Henderson and Kelly MacDonald in "Trainspotting", and Colm Meaney usually plays interesting characters in all his films. I also drink lots of Guinness, so I figured I'd give this a try.

What I saw was a film based on multiple stories tied together by chance meetings, irony, stupidity, and just plain old luck. Each little scenario affected the entire picture in one way or another. This type of plot and storyline has been done many many times. Some films have had great success and fun with it ("Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels", "Run Lola Run", for example) and some didnt really work, or had too much going on ("Happenstance"). Since the plot is a recycled and cliched, the film's success or failure depends mostly on the performances, the characters, and the crazy twists and turns.

With that said, this film was pretty enjoyable, silly at some points, but overall well done. The talent I mentioned above all acted well, especially Colin Farrell, who seemed to be really free and relaxed speaking...the way he normally speaks, I guess. The characters were also interesing enough to keep everything flowing smoothly. Irish accents are fun, too, even though once in a while a few lines of dialogue are nearly impossible to understand. I dont know an overly large amount about the Irish culture, but everything seemed basically believeable. I do listen to Clannad and go to pubs, though, so that earned me some points. The environments were beautiful, from crowded downtown scenes to pubs to the rolling green hills. A lot of the humor I found highly entertaining, although I can see where others may not, because some of it is borderline evil humor. The music fit well, with both UK and Irish artists playing in the background. Colin Farrell's version of "I Fought the Law" is fun, too, and is definitely a worthy remake, right up there with The Clash, Dead Kennedys, and Mike Ness versions.

Overall I really liked the Irish twist to the fimiliar plot, and the characters were fun, along with the brown sauce in the coffee and all the Guinness being consumed. I dont know whatll be on the DVD when it arrives in October, but Ill still get it. I encourage you to check out this film.



Rating:
Summary: Stunned & confused
Review: This film is a small Irish story but so complex & filled with such brilliant characters, it should appeal to anyone with a bright mind. Colin Farrell, the most well-known actor in this film, plays a criminal who wants to settle down & buy lovely kitchen utilities. There's a couple just broken up who keep running into each other; the guy love-sick, the girl sick of love. The unattractive but sweet fellow who gets into it with a furious, ditched wife but ends up happy. The oddly funny cop who wishes for Fame but commits infamy. We both LOVED this movie & will buy it as soon as it's available.

Rating:
Summary: Energetic dark comedy from Ireland
Review: While Intermission, with its many characters whose lives converge in a tale full of action, sex and absurdity, draws on earlier films like Short Cuts, Pulp Fiction and Go, it has a style all its own. Director John Crowley gives the film a distinctly Irish flavor. It begins with a Pulp Fiction-like bang, with a hoodlum named Lehiff (Colin Farrell) dishing out a dose of gratuitous violence on an unsuspecting victim. Colm Meaney, in turn, plays a sadistic cop who takes pleasure in tormenting Lehiff and the other petty criminals who cross his path. The plot is too complex to summarize in a short review, but it involves an extramarital affair that leads indirectly to an improbable robbery plot.

What is surprising about Intermission is the way it manages to sustain coherence, suspense and a sense of humor amidst all the chaos and complexity. Many of the characters are sympathetic despite, or maybe because of their considerable flaws. All of the players distinguish themselves as real individuals, as opposed to the stereotypes that populate most films. Despite the absurdity of much of the tale, each of the characters is brought to life in a way that keeps the film compelling and fun to watch.