I saw a trailer today for the new Amy Adams film Leap Year. My toes curled out the top of my leprechaun boots. As Joe Queenan once said:
Several years ago, I wrote an article called "Blarney Stoned" for Movieline in which I attempted to determine which was the most absurdly stereotypical Hibernian film in the history of cinema. Basically, there were two kinds of motion pictures in this genre: those centring on the Irish Republican Army, and those focusing on the wee, canny, loveable Irish people who always have a bounce in their step and a song in their hearts. The first group included everything from The Informer to Odd Man Out to Cal to Michael Collins. The second group included The Field, The Legend of Roan Inish, The Quiet Man, Far and Away, and even The Commitments. By and large, the IRA films tend to be engrossing if predictable, while the second group tend to be sappy and even more predictable films in which the pipes, the pipes never stop calling from glen to glen, making anyone of Irish or Irish-American ancestry desperate to get the next plane out of Carrickfergus for Santa Monica.
...
Gotta love the Carrickfergus reference. And nobody, nobody ever seems to be able to get an Irish accent right except Miranda Richardson in The Crying Game. The worst Irish accent on film? Come on thats like shooting fish in a barrel. How about the worst Irish accent on film by a Scotsman who really should know better: My four finalists are Sean Connery, Billy Connolly, Ewan McGregor and Gerard Butler. I have to give the prize to Gerry Butler because at least he apologized.
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46 comments:
I've got to admit, I actually liked "Roan Inish." I thought it was not particularly sentimental.
There was also a spate of movies about the wacky people in the countryside that I think was just one of those waves that sweep the movie industry. (Like "Waking Ned Devine", and "The Englishman who Went up a Hill..." and so on. That latter's not even about Ireland, but it's the same sort of movie. I'm sure I could come up with a dozen that came out within a few years of each other, and then they just dried up)
Yeah, I liked "Roan Inish," too.
I also liked "The Commitments," but I like most Roddy Doyle.
Alan Parker, who directed both films said the biggest difference between the Irish kids in "The Commitments" and the American kids in "Fame" was that American kids all had agents and managers and saw the movie as their big break and all the Irish kids saw the movie as a ig party someoe else would clean up.
Still, that "Leap Year" trailer is painful to watch. If halfway through some IRA guys would show up with machine guns, that might save it...
I agree with John. I couldn't make it through the entire Leap Year trailer. I did really enjoy Rocknrolla though. I wouldn't want that Russian tough guy after me . . .
I was going to make Roan Inish an exception too, but I see others have beat me to it.
That TV series Ballykissangel is what I attributed the adorable Irish village phase of movies. Although I liked Ballykissangel as it started out. I think I know where it jumped the shark but that would be giving it away.
There are a lot of really good Irish movies, though--it's just that they don't get made by Hollywood. There's a whole subgenre, seemingly, of small sad/funny tales of Irish criminals like I Went Down, and even In Bruges.
As I was trying to remember the movie titles, which I'm bad at, I saw that Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are in "pre-production" for a movie of At Swim-Two-Birds, whatever that means. That's one I'll go to if it ever gets made.
Wow, I would have thought At Swim-Two-Birds would be a western about an Irish guy who goes native, but before Adrian gets in here and educates us off the top of his head, I looked it up.
Now I want to see it, too.
There's even a movie of Finnegans Wake, so it's possible Swim will get made... But it seems hard to imagine.
Though with all the "Lost" mania, you'd think they'd make The Third Policeman. (One of the "Lost" guys said that it's a big influence -- I've never seen the show, but after that amazon kept giving me recommendations for "Lost" paraphenalia, 'cause I liked Third Policeman
Oh God, a rom-com with complete with 'humorous' pratfalls. It's a Sandra Bullock film without Sandra Bullock. My missus will be having this on DVD and there's nothing I can do about it... *sobs*
Since I am only OF about 37.5% Irish ancestry, I routinely defer to Adrian on such matters, but I'm glad to see some others sticking up for THE COMMITMENTS.
I liked WAKING NED DEVINE, too, but I'll not vouch for the Irishness of it.
All I can say is, I don't care if she's as cute as Amy Adams, if a chick throws my falafel out the window while I'm driving, she's taking the bus.
Any thoughts on Bloody Sunday, Adrian? the move I mean.
Gav
Well I'm partial to John Sayles but I still didnt like it. Ned Devine was filmed on the Isle of Man posing as Ireland which is fair enough I suppose. You're right about Englishman - that one was about Wales and had Hugh Grant in it. Not a good combo.
John
I watched The Commitments on TV. I thought it was ok, but I turned it off after the "the Irish are the blacks of Europe and the Dubliners are the blacks of Ireland" speech. I didnt know whether to laugh or punch the TV.
HB
Can you imagine how difficult it would be to watch the trailer if the radiant Amy Adams hadnt been in it?
Seana
I like the idea of At Swim Two Birds because it should be unfilmable.
There's also a gay love story called At Swim Two Boys which I thought would be filmed before now but hasnt been.
John
I am a Flann fan. Especially since he's from Ulster. I think thats where he gets his dourness and his dryness. Throughout the Dead series I have Michael Forsythe adopt the pseudonym Brian ONolan which of course is Flann Obrien's real name.
Gav
I've already written a post about The Third Policeman which I'll be posting on the 60th anniversary of its completion in two weeks. So, er, stay tuned for that.
Michael
I think Amy Adams is the NEW Sandra Bullock.
Dana
Ned Devine was entirely filmed on the Isle of Man for tax reasons. I've been to the Isle of Man several times. Its a strange but attractive little place so I have no problem with them.
Matt
I picked it as one of my films of the decade.
Wow
Big news in my house:
JD Salinger Dead .
I think I've mentioned on this blog before that I was a big fan and I drove past Salinger's house once. (No not in a creepy Mark David Chapman way).
According to his daughter there are a dozen manuscripts in a bank vault in Cornish waiting to be published after this death.
And now I suppose they'll finally make that film. Please dont let Spielberg or Ron Howard do it.
yes, it's big news in the book world. 91 though is not so bad.
"A shock that you speak fluent cow,"
Oh, I burst me shite laughing at that one, I did.
Don't forget "Gregory's Girl" among movies about adorable folks in the country.
==============
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Gerard Butler should get a pass because he’s one of the cutest things walking the planet. I’ve been madly in love with him since 300. He could speak Esperanto for all I care.
I think all the schmaltzy yet popular Irish movies are a result of Americans being so enamored by the Irish and Ireland. If the same story was made into two movies, all things being equal except in one, all the actors have Irish accents and in the other, mid-western American twangs, the first would be far more successful in the US than the latter. The pendulum seems to have moved to the other end of the spectrum from the early part of the last century when Irish immigrants were treated so atrociously.
Holden, I think you've got that last part right. The Irish are now romanticized, the folks who sing country not so much.
I'm wondering how you're doing today with the death of the author who basically created your existence.
At least Salinger had a long and successful 91 years on this planet. RIP, JD.
Maybe I'm brought back to life in one of those many volumes that are supposed to be locked away, although I can't imagine a middle-aged Holden. Nor can I imagine Catcher in the Rye, Part Two. ;->
Yes, just as it's hard to imagine the 91 year old Salinger, as some commentator mentioned tonight. He's right--it's close to impossible.
Peter
The Scots have got off lightly if you ask me.
Holden
Whatever the reasons I dont like it. Its as if a bunch of Irish filmmakers went to America and had everyone wearing stetsons and spitting out chewing tobacco.
And they never get the accent right. And they never go to Ulster.
Seana
I imagine its going to be a boon for publishing. Maybe half a dozen novels, a couple of quickie biographies and a big authorised biography or two.
I just hope they dont let Spielberg make the movie.
Or Wes Anderson.
It's hard to imagine a film maker who could make Catcher in the Rye. They won't let some cynical upstart make it, though that would be appropriate. It would have to be someone established, and they will treat the book with too much deference. It would be hard to get the tone right in any case.
The American historian Howard Zinn died this week as well. Also lived to a ripe old age, still working from what I hear.
And Matt Damon (who was a neighbour of Zinn's growing up and who snuck a reference to A People's History into Good Will Hunting has made a kind of documentary based on Zinn's work, The People Speak that looks pretty good.
Matt Damon might actually be someone who could do that Salinger movie.
I'll have to look for that documentary.
Sorry to stray and also sorry for sounding like a corporate clone, but the daily picture on
Bing today highlights Melbourne, or at least Ferny Creek. If you hover over the picture, little factoids pop up and one of them is about the amazing
Lyrebird that can mimic any sound it hears, including a chainsaw.
I Went Down! I'd forgotten about that. What a cracking film!
The other night on tv -Blown Away! The next night. The Patriot Game!
My girlfriend - who is Polish- speaks esperranto BTW and used to sing in an Esperranto choir that toured Europe.
I loved the first two of Roddy Doyle's 'Last Roundup' books and enjoyed The Committment but then I'm only 25% Irish and he was a Gypsy so that may not count.
Seana
Yes you're right and I think thats exactly what will happen. Spielberg will make the movie with great deference, Saoirse Ronan will play Phoebe and that kid from Where The Wild Things Are will play Holden.
John
Ha, yeah I remember that. Good name too, Zinn. I like that. Could either have been a historian or a science fiction writer.
Holden
What a scam! You get Melbourne and we're stuck with some lame waterfall in ICELAND. Iceland! Does anybody even live there. Come on.
Paul
Yeah I Went Down was good. Blown Away I forgot about that. What a bunch of crap.
I saw Leap Year during the week, and it's appalling, even if you're not Irish. Appears to be set in 1950s Ireland, and stars the extras from The Quiet Man. Amy Adams is lovely, though, as always.
In the Irish Times today, Eileen Battersby calls The Catcher in the Rye 'overrated'.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2010/0129/1224263356681.html
For what it's worth, Teddy is my favourite short story. And Catcher is one of the great novels of the 20th century.
Atom Egoyan to make the movie of Catcher. Michael Cera to play Holden.
Cheers, Dec
Dec
Thats the problem with being a professional reviewer. You've got to actually sit through that. I suppose you could take a long toilet/ciggy break and they couldnt complain.
I figured the Catcher in the Rye is overrated stuff would start soon. Its not though is it? The bit with Allie's baseball mitt is the high point of American literature if you ask me.
Is it good or bad that pretty much everything about Catcher in the Rye is as true today as when he wrote it?
Oh, and as always, The Onion nails it.
It was because of this very blog that I recently reread Catcher in the Rye and loved it. I also got my book group to read it and they loved it. I might have forgotten that, except that one of the members is a local newspaper features editor and she got one of the apprentices to do a whole piece on it and had her call me at work today and talk about the experience. I don't know if it will make the cut and I rather hope not, but I may find myself discoursing on Salinger in tomorrow's paper. Not something that I would ever have conceived of.
Somehow, I just really don't think he'd approve.
Its as if a bunch of Irish filmmakers went to America and had everyone wearing stetsons and spitting out chewing tobacco.
Funny thing is, I just went to Crazy Heart tonight and saw Colin Farrell masquerading as a country western singer. No chewing tobacco, but I think he was wearing Stetsons because there was a joke about his boots.
Actually, though, I didn't notice any flaws in his American accent, and he even is a good singer, so I'm not actually winning my own side here.
John
Yeah the Onion one is good. On Andrew Sullivan's blog he said he was surprised at their vitriol, not apparently realising it was a parody.
Seana
That's nice. I agree with Dec, its one of the great novels of century. I'm glad now that a lot more people will find it. Not that there werent plenty before of course.
Adrian, could Andrew Sullivan really not have recognized that Onion piece for what it was?
==============
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Peter
After a stream of emails pointing out the pastiche he did finally admit his error.
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