Starring: Paul Reiser, Colm Meaney, Jane Levy, Des Keogh and Lucianne McEvoy
Distributor: Maxfilms
Runtime: 101 mins. Reviewed in Dec 2024
Reviewer: Peter W Sheehan
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This Irish comedy tells the story of two cousins, who are asked to heal a family feud as a dying wish of one of their fathers.
The film focuses on two estranged cousins – one living in Ireland, Ciaran (Meaney), and the other, Barry, (Reiser) living in New York. Both are asked to resolve an historical family conflict which expresses a wish of Ciaran’s dying father, Fergus (Keogh). The cousins come together in Ireland to right the wrongs of their forefathers, and to reestablish family harmony. Initially, everything seems to be working out well: Ciaran doesn’t really know Barry all that well, but both Ciaran and Barry realise that they are trying to make amends for a generation of felt unhappiness. Fergus passes away just after Barry arrives in Ireland, and both Ciaran and Barry know that his dying wish must be heeded – Fergus’ wish was a hope that everything in the future is going to be perfectly alright.
Barry is divorced, and recovering from a heart attack and he was happy to go to Ireland to see if he could help. However, when Fergus dies, the family feud is reignited, especially when Ciaran learns that his father changed his will just before he passed away, and left half of everything to Barry. Caught in the middle of the impending chaos is Fiona (McEvoy), Ciaran’s ex-wife, who is a possible love interest for Barry. After Fergus’ death, Barry’s daughter, Natalya (Levy), travels across to Ireland to be with her father. While there, she unexpectedly bonds with Fiona, and Natalya and Fiona get married.
This is a film that is made for plot-friendly viewing. Ciaran is a down-to-earth Irish worker, and Barry is a successful American real-estate developer. Their personalities suggest clashes will occur when they meet which will highlight their different backgrounds, but for the most part cultural and personal issues are left undeveloped. Viewers are left with a predictable comedy, and there is never any doubt that everything will end happily, despite a great deal of personal animosity and in-fighting en route.
This is a slight film. The movie charms occasionally, but generally chooses to stay at arm’s length from resolving cultural or personality differences that might have been worth exploring. The movie, however, was photographed in Tinahely, Wicklow, Ireland, and excellent photography has been used to feature the lush, Irish countryside that surrounds most of the film’s ‘problem’ people.
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