How Harry Became a Tree

As an American, it took me a bit to get used to the language of rural Ireland in the 1920's, but this film draws you into a world that seems not at all foreign after a while. Unlike the relentlessly depressing "The Field", this is a drama of real tragedies - the small, silly tragedies that we create and that are created for us- and also, of real hope. The original Irish title of this film "How Harry Became a Tree" is so much more fitting than the US "Bitter Harvest" (what were they thinking?), though fortunately the brilliant allegory of the tree is not lost with the title change. Performances are universally outstanding and poignant, the photography beautiful, the music haunting. See this film and see how the Irish continue to astonish with their mastery of language and vision.

I had the pleasure of seeing the world premiere of this film at the Toronto International Film Festival. It is a wonderfully funny movie with a great performance by Colm Meaney.

The script borrows from a Chinese story, but is placed in Ireland. The film is well-paced, beautifully shot, and includes wonderful performances by all involved.

This is a weak movie; I believe the director's intention was to make people laugh but, in this reviewer's case, he failed miserably. OK, I giggled once or twice but in between that it was a complete bore, uninteresting characters, stupid plot line, moronic and unintelligible symbolism.

Colm Meaney did a good job as an actor 'though.

There is much laughter from the audience for this wonderful film, but the laughs gradually become uneasy and scarce as we realize this charmingly presented tale is not a comedy but a little tragedy, after all. The ineffable Colm Meaney (as Harry Maloney) gives the performance of a lifetime as an ignorant but sly peasant farmer who happens to be Irish, but could be any nationality. The story is from a Chinese source; a multinational cast and crew underscore the point. Think Balkans; think Chechyna; think Quebec; think Alabama -- rural places where people have hated others for so long no one knows why. It's a classic tragic tale: Harry entangles his family and neighbors in his web of anger and revenge for imagined slights because he really can't do anything else. The skies and hills are stunningly beautiful, and every detail of the film is pitch-perfect. Go, be charmed and laugh, but be prepared to stop laughing when the sadness of these lives overwhelms you. A fine movie!

Well the main reason for seeing this movie would be to see Colm Meaney at his best. During the 1st 10 minutes of this film I was quite irritated by what I thought was another shamrockery and begorrah script. But once you get past that, its a very well acted, well-shot film. The humour was very dark though. Some in the audience were laughing while I felt like crying. I suppose the humour is open to your own interpretation. Overall a very sad story though.