Directed by:
Neil JordanScreenplay:
Neil JordanCinematography:
Adrian BiddleComposer:
Elliot GoldenthalCast:
Eamonn Owens, Stephen Rea, Aisling O'Sullivan, Sean McGinley, Fiona Shaw, John Kavanagh, Ian Hart, Brendan Gleeson, Gavin Kelty, Milo O'Shea, Ardal O'Hanlon (more)Plots(1)
Director Neil Jordan expertly blends fantasy and reality in the saga of Francie Brady (Eamonn Owens), an energetic and imaginative boy whose bleak existence in a small 1960s Ireland town eventually drives him to drastic measures. With his friend Joe (Alan Boyle), Francie escapes into a world of comic books, television, and science fiction films to cope with his mentally ill mom (Aisling O'Sullivan) and alcoholic father (Stephen Rea, who also plays the adult Francie). Tragic circumstances mount, and the chasm between Francie's imaginary life and the drab reality of rural Ireland grows too great, leading to bloody consequences. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (1)
At first I thought that this was going to be a nice Irish version of the movie Gentlemen Boys. I enjoyed the shots of the Irish town. The boy in the leading role was appropriately naughty. Everything was okay. At least until he began to annoy me with his shenanigans so much that even I would give him a thrashing. However, all his troubles were mixing with sad scenes, where I was probably supposed to cry for him but I was rather waiting where all this would lead. I understand that we have only one sound mind. The finale is a brutal massacre, Gentlemen Boys pale in comparison and in my entire life I’ve possibly never been more surprised. I don’t think I have seen such change and shock in one movie ever before. It fascinates me even more that somebody has decided to shoot this story, originally based on a book. Hats off to the director and to the boy in the leading role as well, as he also received a number of awards. That doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.
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