Running time: 105 minutes
Starring: Colin Farrell, Colm Meaney, Cillian Murphy, Kelly Macdonald, Shirley Henderson, Rory Keenan
Rating 7 out of 10
Since any film which has a large interconnected cast and plot is now referred to as the director's Short Cuts, then John Crowley's Intermission fits the bill perfectly. Scripted by Mark O' Rowe, one of Ireland's leading young playwrights, this is a hectic and entertaining look at the lives of a disparate bunch of Dubliners. It is often violent, occasionally hilarious, and played with a fulsome energy by a talented cast.
The producers have attracted top notch actors presumably thanks to the characters offered by O' Rowe. Colin Farrell plays Lehiff, a tracksuited bully boy who can charm the pants off anyone he meets (notably demonstrated in an explosive opening scene). Lehiff has a cat and mouse relationship with tough cop Jerry Lynch (Colm Meaney), a self-proclaimed maverick hugely influenced by the works of Clannad and American cop shows. Jerry's agenda is to become a folkloric reality TV cop hero and he enlists producer Sam (Michael McElHatton) to film his increasingly ludicrous exploits.
The characters criss-cross in their local pub and there is where Lehiff knows John and Anthony (Cillian Murphy and Rory Keenan), two down-on their-luck supermarket workers pining for their ex-girlfriend and any girlfriend respectively. John's ex Deirdre is always on his mind, but she has moved in with a 'baldy fella' who just happens to be a bank manager. Never one to miss an opportunity, Lehiff spots his moment and decides to go for the big time.
This is all told in a freewheeling and realistic way by Crowley's camera. But it's the cast and script that make this more than watchable stuff. Farrell lights up the screen and plays the swaggering tough guy with a slightly dumb appeal. Meaney revels in the opportunity to go as far out there as possible, while Shirley Henderson, moustache and all, shows that she is one of the unerringly impressive actresses around, as Deirdre's man-hating sister.
Apart from the Altman comparison, the film has a Trainspotting feel to it, but its low-budget and no frills allow the script to come to the fore. With musings on dirty bus windows, sex between the generations and the universal search for love it's not surprising that the film has already become a popular success in Ireland. Word-of-mouth is likely to make it something of a hit in the UK and it's certainly a recommendable breezy night out at the cinema. Stick around for the closing credits and you'll even hear Farrell reprising The Clash's I Fought The Law.
The producers have attracted top notch actors presumably thanks to the characters offered by O' Rowe. Colin Farrell plays Lehiff, a tracksuited bully boy who can charm the pants off anyone he meets (notably demonstrated in an explosive opening scene). Lehiff has a cat and mouse relationship with tough cop Jerry Lynch (Colm Meaney), a self-proclaimed maverick hugely influenced by the works of Clannad and American cop shows. Jerry's agenda is to become a folkloric reality TV cop hero and he enlists producer Sam (Michael McElHatton) to film his increasingly ludicrous exploits.
The characters criss-cross in their local pub and there is where Lehiff knows John and Anthony (Cillian Murphy and Rory Keenan), two down-on their-luck supermarket workers pining for their ex-girlfriend and any girlfriend respectively. John's ex Deirdre is always on his mind, but she has moved in with a 'baldy fella' who just happens to be a bank manager. Never one to miss an opportunity, Lehiff spots his moment and decides to go for the big time.
This is all told in a freewheeling and realistic way by Crowley's camera. But it's the cast and script that make this more than watchable stuff. Farrell lights up the screen and plays the swaggering tough guy with a slightly dumb appeal. Meaney revels in the opportunity to go as far out there as possible, while Shirley Henderson, moustache and all, shows that she is one of the unerringly impressive actresses around, as Deirdre's man-hating sister.
Apart from the Altman comparison, the film has a Trainspotting feel to it, but its low-budget and no frills allow the script to come to the fore. With musings on dirty bus windows, sex between the generations and the universal search for love it's not surprising that the film has already become a popular success in Ireland. Word-of-mouth is likely to make it something of a hit in the UK and it's certainly a recommendable breezy night out at the cinema. Stick around for the closing credits and you'll even hear Farrell reprising The Clash's I Fought The Law.
