It is refreshing to see Ireland represented in the modern day on the silver screen. The alcoholism, nosiness and dedication to livestock paints a picture so accurate that it almost passes to be nominated in the nonfiction category of awards and accolades. Speaking of such, the performances portrayed by Colin, Brendan, Kerry, Barry and national treasure Pat Shortt bring this small island to life, it’s a small life, but one that Padraic (hate that name, is it pawd-ric or paw-rig?) enjoys, the pub is there every single day at 2 strikes of the church's bells. His lifelong friend Colm, however is beginning to feel different to his cairde. Colm is realising his mortality and reflecting on his accomplishments as a man but more importantly, a human being. He is unhappy that he’s going to die like the rest of us and be forgotten for just being a nice man on a small island with a nice friend who has a nice sister. He’s a fiddler, but not in the kid way, in the music way. He plays it like any old man in any old pub but with dreams of being remembered, like Mozart, and not like Michael Jackson.
This movie rocked. It was comforting in a way that made me realise why Ireland is an island far from anything nice. It was also funny in a way that didn’t rely on the Irish accent being the joke and it was also sad in ways that were bittersweet. For a movie with a cast the size of a Kpop band, it was impressive how much I connected to each one. There’s nobody in this movie that I don’t feel for. I feel for Colm, someone who’s grown up on an island with the same shops, people and routine his whole life, just wanting that little bit more, something to feel like he made his time on the planet a bit more worthwhile. I feel for Padraic too, who loves everything with everything, he loves his little donkey, his little pony and his little sister(we’re not told she’s younger but boys are older). Colm decides to not be friends with Padraic anymore because he is wasting his time on meaningless chat. Padraic can’t grasp that anyone would be unhappy living on this beautiful island with a landscape that Bob Ross better have painted, what a shame if not. He takes this confusion at Colm’s decision to a level that is fully understandable at all times from his situation. From mine, sitting in the seat, not having lived my life going to the Pat Shortt pub everyday with this man, when he is throwing fingers at you, I would leave him alone. Padraic however, has lived this life and can’t accept it. He tries, but he can’t. Colm does cut off his fingers with a shears and throws them at Padraic’s door. I have to say, I was on board with this choice up until it killed the little donkey. That ripped my heart out, threw it on one of those viking boats they sent their dead out on and shot it with a flaming arrow. It was not good, fun or enjoyable. The only upside is that now all the animals are in the house with Padraic as his sister Siobhann goes off to the mainland to pursue her dream ofreading. I liked Siobhann but she held back the animals in the house so I’m fine with her off on the mainland. This donkey death fuels Padraic’s revenge plot as he decides to burn down Colm’s house at 2pm, a time that previously was pub time, it is now arson time. Padraic becomes the hero when he takes the dog with him so it does not get burnt. Colm doesn’t die by fire and the end is a tale of two men in a now lifelong feud. This feud seems biblical or something Shakespeare might write. Maybe the sequel will be about their children falling in love and having to overcome the deep rooted divide caused by their patriarches. I would buy a ticket.
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