Ireland (English)
Genre: Drama
80mins
Writer/director: Mark O'Connor
Cast: John Connors, Peter Coonan, Michael Collins, Clara McGlynn.
Plot
Young traveler
John is haunted by dreams of his father’s violent death and is convinced a
rival travelling family is responsible. Things are complicated further when a local
farmer wants John’s family of his land. A violent drama with a convoluted plot.
Review
On the
whole watchable, but sometimes the film is amateurish with an uneven tone, veering from violence to surreal silly comedy in
a matter of minutes. The plot is convoluted with lots of toing and froing between the caravan sites of the families
(and riding horses across an angry farmers land). A little less of this could
have left room for exploring the characters fully and given the audience an
insight into the lives and traditions of travelers, and why family and feuds
are so deeply rooted in their culture. Also there isn't as much bare knuckle fighting as indicated in the trailer and poster.
The acting
was on whole good, although the characterisation is 2D; the farmer is
unrelenting in his viciousness and vitriol, as are his henchmen. The councilor is only a coward. Michael, John’s
best friend and brother is a relentless fun addict and rogue. John makes a dull hero and is bull headed about
taking revenge, even when he is not clear about the facts surrounding his father’s
death.
However, when Connors who plays John is let loose on a bit of role play
in an old tree house with co star Clara McGlynn, who plays his potential love interest,
the scene plays charmingly. A few more scenes like that could have made this a
better film.
This is one
of those films that could have been so much more, but wasn’t.
2 stars out
of 5.
