Category Archives: Irish

2011, Abduction, Abuse of Women, Acceptable for teenagers, Accidental Death, Action sequences, Adopted child, Arson, Attempted Suicide, Cancer theme, Child abuse, Child Molestation, Corrupt lawyers, Detective, DIY Ending, DO NOT MISS, Dysfunctional Lives, Ends in Cliff Hanger, Ethical struggles, Failing Marriage, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Gritty, Illegitimate Child, Irish, Irish Gaelic, Journalist, Lawyers, MHz Choice, Mother-daughter relations, Murder, Pedophilia, Police Corruption, Rape, Serial Killer, Suspense, TV Reporter, Unmarried mother, Upsetting ending, Violent

Corp + Anam (2011)

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From MHz Choice:

Gritty Irish-language drama chronicling the difficult professional and intense personal life of Cathal Mac Iarnáin, a tenacious TV crime reporter who is obsessed with pursuing the story behind the story. But as single-minded as he is about uncovering the truth, he is often too busy chasing stories to notice that the world of crime hits closer to home every day.

From MHz Choice you can stream two seasons of this intense Irish drama. Each season consists of 4 episodes. Each episode lasts about 50 minutes.  Irish Gaelic with English subtitles.

“Gut-punching” is the most apt adjective I can apply to these eight episodes.  “Corp & Anam” is Gaelic for “Body and Soul”.

One critic labeled the reporter Cathal as unscrupulous.  Each of the 8 stories centers around some serious injustice.  No matter who gets hurt Cathal is determined to get the scoop first.  On certain occasions he is not above breaking the law to get the story.  In every case he goes out on a sometimes self-destructive limb to broadcast the story on Irish television.  Most often it is his own family which gets hurt because, as with many police detectives, his cell phone often interrupts his family life.

For this series I have created a new category “DIY Ending” which I could have used earlier for many other series.  “Do It Yourself Ending” applies to an ending in which most of the groundwork has been laid to reach a satisfying conclusion in which justice reigns and the bad guys get their punishment but in which you do not get the satisfaction of seeing those final details played out. This category especially applies to the last story of season 2 which uses two episodes 3 and 4 to tell the whole story.  This particular story leaves Cathal in danger of losing his career.

DO NOT MISS!

2016, Acceptable for teenagers, Boarding school, Bullying, Drama, Fist Fight, Friendship, Gay Bashing, Gay theme, High school students, Homophobia, Irish, Netflix Streaming, Rugby, School Teacher, Teenagers, Unloved Child

Handsome Devil (2016)

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From IMDB:

Ned and Conor are forced to share a bedroom at their boarding school. The loner and the star athlete at this rugby-mad school form an unlikely friendship until it’s tested by the authorities.

From Netflix you can stream this  1 hour 35 minute feature Irish film.

As far as gay themed stories go,  this film is a really well-done film that avoids both clichés and sex scenes.  In fact, sexual activity is not in any way a part of the plot.  Ned is a non-athletic, gay, loners who is forced by his uncaring parents to attend a rugby-mad school.  He is forced to share his bedroom with a closeted, gay star athlete who has switched to this school because of past troubles.

All the administrators, teachers, coaches, and students care only for winning a coming important rugby match.  However, along comes a new teacher Mr. Sherry who is himself gay and somewhat closeted but with a strong, defiant personality. Mr. Sherry is played by Andrew Scott who played the priest in the series Fleabag.

Of course, you might argue, overcoming homophobia is a cliché. In this respect the film wears its heart on its sleeve.  Enjoy it anyway.

2018, Acorn TV, Basically Sad, Brother-Sister relations, Drama, Extramarital Affair, Family Conflict, Fatal Neurological Disease, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Forensics, Gay theme, Irish, Masturbation, Mother-son relations, Murder Investigation, Mystery Film, Suspense, Terminal Disease

Blood (2018)

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From Acorn TV:

Likened to Broadchurch and The Killing by critics, this psychological mystery is “must-see TV…taut, stylish, and suspenseful” (The Irish Times). BAFTA nominee Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty) stars as a respected doctor in a small Irish town. When his wife dies, everyone believes it was an accident—except his daughter (Carolina Main, Unforgotten), who mistrusts her father because of a childhood trauma.

From Acorn TV you can stream the 6 episodes of the one season Irish drama Each episode lasts about 45 minutes.

Talk about family problems!  Better than your average soap opera, this superbly acted drama maintains the suspenseful atmosphere for all six episodes.  From the very beginning I sided with the daughter Cat and increasingly viewed the father Jim as some kind of narcissistic monster. But wait until you have seen  all six episodes before making a final judgment. Because I did not want to introduce a spoiler, there were categories that I did not add to the review header.

And don’t the Irish as portrayed seem to drink a lot of alcohol?

All the actors are perfectly cast. Probably you might recognize Adrian Dunbar who played Ted Hastings in “Line of Duty.”

If you hanker after family tension then do not miss!

2017, Acceptable for teenagers, Acorn TV, Addiction, Child custody, Drugs, Ends in Cliff Hanger, Ethical struggles, Extramarital Affair, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Gay theme, Irish, Lawyers, Made For TV, Marital Infidelity, Mother-daughter relations, Mother-son relations, Orphans in Foster Care, Personal Betrayal, Sex Scenes

Striking Out (2017)

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From Acorn TV:

Tara Rafferty (Amy Huberman, The Clinic) is living the good life: she’s a successful Dublin lawyer engaged to a fellow solicitor. But Tara’s life is turned upside down after she discovers her betrothed in bed with a colleague. Abandoning her wedding plans (and her job), Tara strikes out on her own, starting an unconventional private practice. Hailed as “a roaring success” (Irish Independent), this legal drama charmed audiences across the pond, quickly becoming Ireland’s #1 new drama. Neil Morrissey (Line of Duty, Grantchester, The Night Manager) and Rory Keenan (War & Peace, Peaky Blinders) co-star.

From Acorn TV you can stream the 4 episodes of Season One. Season Two is now in production over the summer of 2017.

Kathy and I could not wait to see each new episode. Along side of the continuing saga of her fiancée  Erik’s betrayal (and the accompanying pressures of both their socially ambitious families), each episode presents a different law Client for Tara. There is absolutely no violence.  Tara gathers around her a really quirky and nice set of characters.

Expect a cliff-hanger ending of episode 4, which clearly means to suggest an oncoming new season.

If you are a “Doc Martin” kind of person, you will enjoy “Striking Out”.

 

2015, Acceptable for children, Based on a Book, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Feel Good For All, Irish, Italian culture, Mother-daughter relations, Optimistic, Sex Scenes, Use of Irish Brogue, Wonderful acting

Brooklyn (2015)

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From NetFlix:

After emigrating from Ireland, Eilis Lacey readily adapts to the vastly different New York City, where she falls for a young Italian. But when tragedy pulls her back to her hometown, she finds her loyalties divided between two nations — and two men.

Probably I have become so jaded from the usual film fare of sex and violence that when I watch a film I expect at any moment that something really awful is about to happen. As a real contrast “Brooklyn” is a sweet, gentle film based on the very popular book of the same name by Colm Tóibin. Imagine: no rapes, no untoward sexual advances, the priests are warm and helpful instead of pedophiles, Eilis (sounds like “eye lish”) is helped by friendly strangers and her boarding housemates. What is this world coming to? How can you have a film without a cringe factor?

All the acting was pitch-perfect. Emory Cohen as Tony (Eilis’ Italian love interest) is just right as a sincere, lovable, honorable member of an Italian family.

Saoirse Ronan presents an Eilis that matures as the film progresses. “Saoirse” is Irish for “freedom” and is pronounced “seer-sha”. “Ronan” means “little seal”.

In such a civilized ambience, the homesickness, difficult choices, and genuine love are felt all the more strongly.

Isn’t it nice to end a film feeling really happy? DO NOT MISS!

 

1998, 1999, Amazon Prime, British, Ethical struggles, Forensics, Irish, Mother-son relations, Murder Investigation, Politicians, Unmarried mother

The Ambassador (1998)

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From Amazon:

The new British Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, Harriet Smith, arrives in Dublin to discover that the Irish government is accusing the British of sinking one of their ships in the Irish Sea. Smith partners with MI6 agent John Stone to uncover the truth. “The Ambassador” originally aired on the BBC.

From Amazon Prime we could stream 6 episodes from season 1 (1998) and 6 episodes from season 2 (1999). The above description holds true only for episode 1, season 1. Each story is self-contained, although the characters, their problems and romances continue from episode to episode.

Pauline Collins as the British Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland does a believable acting job in portraying a woman in a position that is very political and always calls for careful restraint.

Denis Lawson as her private MI6 sidekick is perfect for the job. He can pull tricks that are not available to so public a figure as the British Ambassador.

As far as I am concerned, Pip Torrens who plays Deputy Ambassador Tyler is a standout as a very formal, correct, repressed, and ambitious man often at odds with his boss. Episode 12 centers on the death of his wife.

If you liked “Doc Martin”, then this adult, non-violent series is for you.

2012, Abduction, Computer geeks, Could Be Sad, Detective, Divorce, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Dysfunctional Lives, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Irish, Netflix Streaming, Prison, Prostitutes, Suicide, Teenagers, TV Series

Amber (2012)

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From Netflix:

Recently separated, Ben and Sarah Bailey find their lives turned upside down when their daughter Amber fails to return home one evening.

Because I watched “Hinterland” Netflix suggested that I stream, among others, “Hidden” and “Amber”. “Hidden” has been reviewed.

“Amber” is one season, 4 episodes, streamable only. Never before have I seen used the “time gimmick” in this Irish TV series. As the story progresses, we often see on the screen only a calendar page telling us what day of the search for Amber we have reached. Do not be confused by the fact that the story repeats over and over. Hence, you may see the same day more than once. No, you haven’t gotten the episodes confused. But at each repeat you see some old scenes repeated but with some new addition, giving you the distinct impression of deja vu.

Acting, writing, personal connections and plot are all good. HOWEVER … usually I don’t include spoilers (i.e. giving away some part of the plot). In this case I feel compelled to do so. But I have made this page long so that you should have to scroll up to read the spoiler in case you don’t want to “spoil” the plot.

SPOILER: In season one (the only available season) Amber is never found. Many viewer/reviewers screamed in pain.

But it is definitely worth watching.

2013, Bloody scenes, Corruption, Detective, Drugs, Erotic Thriller, Father-daughter relations, Irish, Mental Illness, Mostly About Sex, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Nudity, Police Corruption, Police Story, Psychological Thriller, Redemption, Revenge, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Stalker, Strange Ending, Suicide, Suspense, TV Series, Use of Irish Brogue, Violent

The Trial (2013)

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From Netflix:

When the Belfast police are stalled in their investigation of a spate of murders, Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson is drafted to investigate. Under her lead, the team uncovers an intricate web of lives entangled by the killings.

These days serial-killer dramas are standard fare and often very similar. Nonetheless some of these presentations are different enough to be of interest. So what makes this one season, 5 episode TV series which I streamed from Netflix worthwhile?

  • Both the police investigation and the ordinary home life of the married-with-kids serial killer develop at the same time. You constantly switch back and forth.
  • Instead of black and white, good and bad, the killer and the cops are humans with their own mixtures of good and bad.
  • Relations between different parties are intricately interwoven.
  • In the psychological makeup of the killer is an element of remorse and a desire for normalcy.
  • Gillian Anderson (of “X-Files” fame) is as good a stone-faced actor as she is beautiful
  • Jamei Dornan, the killer, deserves to be better known.
  • Be on the lookout for Archie Panjabi (Reed Smith in “The Fall”) who is the clever and mysterious woman Kalinda Sharma in “The Good Wife”.
  • Just as interesting as the main thread, are some secondary themes.

Tell me what you think of the ending. Since I was glued to the screen, I can only heartily recommend this TV series.

2000, Amusing banter, Art Treasures, Bank Robbery, Based on true facts, Car Chase, Clever Plot, Comedy, Cynical, Detective, Drugs, Gangs, Irish, Motorcycles, Netflix Streaming, Nudity, Satire, Sex Scenes, Torture, Use of Irish Brogue, Violent

Ordinary Decent Criminal (2000)

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From Netflix:

In this taut crime thriller, a charming thief delights in plotting heists with the kind of élan that makes him popular in the very city he plunders.

While browsing Netflix streaming I stumbled on this clever comedy spoken in an Irish brogue. Kevin Spacey plays Michael Lynch. In this film he is also well-known as a bigamist. Both wives have important parts in the film.

From IMDB:

Brilliant, flamboyant master criminal Michael Lynch is more interested in his image and his posterity than the actual profit from his ill-gotten gains.

Michael Lynch’s greatest pleasure comes from eluding and tricking the Irish police, the Garda. Watching one clever stunt after another is the guilty pleasure this film offers.

You will see many familiar faces: Peter Mullan (Death Eater Yaxley in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 “), David Hayman (Jonas in “The Paradise”), Patrick Malahide (Balon Greyjoy in “Game of Thrones”), and of course Colin Farrell.

Yes, there is violence and death. But it is all in fun, after all.