To get in the mood for "wearin' of the green" on St. Patrick's Day, why not take another look at films about Ireland and the Irish as reviewed on ReelTalk? Although we're missing old classics like The Quiet Man, our archives include such newer movies as Veronica Guerin, In America, The Magdalene Sisters, and Breakfast on Pluto as well as four earlier movies: Evelyn, Angela's Ashes, This Is My Father and Dancing at Lughnasa.  

My three favorites are Veronica Guerin, Dancing at Lughnasa and This Is My Father. However, reviewer Ian Waldron-Mantgani disagrees with me about the Guerin biopic. He calls it "a bunch of pointless hero worship" and complains about the casting of non-Irish Cate Blanchett in the role of Dublin's fearless journalist who brought down gangsters and drug lords. On the other hand, I was blown away by the film and by Blanchett's searing performance.

I'm also impressed by the superb acting in Dancing at Lughnasa, a moving film about five unmarried sisters who face some very hard times during the 1930s in Ireland. It’s inspiring to see the way these women gain strength and courage from each other. In one memorable scene, the sisters break into wild dancing to celebrate themselves and their heritage. In my interview with director Pat O’Connor, the acclaimed Irish filmmaker explained, “What I intended to do was to illuminate the human character and celebrate the best side of what we are."

This Is My Father has special meaning for me because I interviewed brothers Aidan and Paul Quinn, the film’s star and writer/director, during their PA tour to promote their movie. In my Confessions of a Movie Addict, I described that interview as follows:

*******************************************************

“Most siblings would do anything to avoid working together after they grow up. What made you decide to take on this project together?” I asked. Aidan pointed out his cinematographer brother, Declan (Leaving Las Vegas) also worked on the film. “It was a family labor of love,” he declared.

“Because we know each other so well, we really saved time,” explained Paul. Clearly excited about his first outing as a director, he admitted to a sense of awe about his two famous brothers.

Filmed mostly in Ireland, This Is My Father features Aidan as a poor Irish farmer, circa 1939, who falls for a young lass outside his social class. For this role, the handsome actor drastically altered his physical appearance. “Paul made me gain weight, and my make-up man gave me a prosthetic eye piece,” Aidan revealed. 

After the film discussion, I told Aidan how much I admired his performance, partly because of my Irish roots. I related how my Grandmother Donahue stowed away on a boat when she was only 14 years old and came to America. “She wanted to get away from her brothers in Ireland who mistreated her,” I said.

I’ll never forget the concerned look in Aidan’s piercing blue eyes as I talked to him about my grandmother’s experience. He leaned closer and asked,” What did they do to her?”

“She refused to tell us,” I replied.

Aidan shook his head and frowned. He made me believe he really wanted to know the answer to his question. Now that’s what I call acting. Or maybe he’s just a very nice man.

***

Like my grandmother, the Irish family depicted In America came to this country to find a better life. Father, mother and two darling little daughters settle in a rundown Manhattan tenement. The father struggles to find work as an actor while his daughters befriend a  neighbor dying of AIDS.  Reviewer Jeffrey Chen calls In America “a triumphant tearjerker.”

More tearjerker than triumphant are Evelyn, Angeles Ashes , and The Magdalene Sisters. Evelyn boasts a terrific performance by Pierce Brosnan as an Irish father trying to win back custody of his daughter, but the movie’s blatant stereotypes put me in a bad mood. Because Angela’s Ashes, the film version of Frank McCourt’s wonderful memoir, lacks the author’s humor, it emerges as a real downer. And, yes, The Magdelene Sisters earned high marks from reviewer Diana Saenger, but I think its heart-wrenching story seems better suited for a documentary.

Reviewer Donald Levit calls our last movie, Breakfast on Pluto (starring Cillian Murphy), a serio-comic fairy tale created out of an androgynous character’s harsh life. I haven’t seen this one yet, but Levit says it “goes from abandoned babies to abandoned abortions to two new births; gentle whacked- and spaced-out bikers to squeamish or ruthless IRA soldiers; subtitled robin redbreast chatter to a wildly eclectic ‘70s score; satirized traveling rockers to paired bad/good cops and bombings in churches ... and more."

Faith and beegorrah! I think it’s about time for an Irish comedy. Don’t you?

Have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!