Sanctuary

I really enjoyed this movie, there are great characters it and some of the lines they come out with are so funny. It might deal with social issues but like any good movie enjoying it just takes over. It's much funnier than some of the comedies I've seen this year and it really needs more distribution for more people to see it. Its a great movie, if you like Irish movies and a good laugh I really recommend going to see it.

I just didn't find it very interesting. Yes, there were a few funny moments, it brought up a taboo subject, and had some emotional sub- plots. Overall, I found the dialogue to be very wooden, and the ending was just disappointing.

Sanctuary explores the taboo subject of people with intellectual disabilities and sex. While some parts are heavy-handed, others will return to you over and over by the end of the film.

Like how vulnerable these people are, but where do you draw the line between treating them like children and treating them like adults?

It is heartbreaking in how it brings you in to the world of these characters, whose actors don't go home with a big pay-cheque and go on with their lives. This is their lives. These are the problems and struggles they deal with every day.

It jumps genre between drama and comedy better than I've seen most Hollywood films doing.

Watch it, please. It will break you, but you'll love it for it.

I was lucky enough to see this film at the Galway Film Fleadh. Even taking into account the home atmosphere, this was a very special film on a very special night. It is laugh out loud funny, but also very moving.

The plot involves a guy called Larry, who has Down's Syndrome (played by Kieran Coppinger) and his girlfriend Sophie (Charlene Kelly) who has epilepsy and their attempts to have a romantic few hours in a hotel room, which has been organised by their care worker Tom (Robert Doherty).

The trouble is it all takes place during an organised trip to the cinema for a group of people with Learning Disabilities. So mayhem ensues when Tom fails to return quickly and his other charges have disappeared – escaping the cinema to explore their own freedoms. The two guys in the pub are particularly funny - kind of like the two old men in the Muppets. There's a great scene at the pick n mix… and Larry and Sophie will have you laughing and crying in equal measure. Yet at no time does it veer into the world of farce; that would have done the film a gross injustice.

The ending is not quite what I expected: my partner thought it was too sudden, but I thought it was just right. It leaves you wanting more. In fact the whole film was not quite what I expected. The cast are mainly actors with Down's or Autism and they are superb. Their performances have an honesty and truth about them that seems lacking in many performances. It is an unusual film for sure; but well worth your time if you get to see it. The soundtrack is great. It's well directed and credit to the writer for a very funny and moving script.

A wonderful film that makes you laugh out loud and seriously consider the way you view the world of intellectual disability. I didn't quite know what to expect when I arrived at The Lighthouse cinema to see Sanctuary, and found myself a bit nervous when I sat down and the film started. A rom-com about people with intellectual disabilities isn't exactly a common film theme. Within a few minutes, the comedy of the film (due to both a great script and a great cast) relaxed me, and I found myself laughing out loud. Would absolutely recommend for anyone looking for a rom-com that's different and genuinely hilarious.