Standby

Alan is at a bit of a low point in his life. He was jilted at the altar, he works in Tourist Information at Dublin Airport – with his mum - and he still lives with his divorced father. He is in a band that is so unsuccessful that they are considering giving up music altogether and just being a Weddings band.

Then on Valentine's Day a beautiful American rocks up to his desk looking for a hotel as her flight to the Big Apple has been held up and she is now on a stand by for the next flight home. He has always held a soft spot for her and so chances his arm and invites her out for a 'night to remember' in the fair city of Dublin.

Now this ticks all the boxes in terms of plot ingredients and we have a very inclusive night of entertainment with as much thrown into the mix as is humanly possible- to say what that is though would spoil all the surprises. There are quite a few laughs here but some are a tad too bleedin' obvious and haters of stereo types will point at the far too many on show here making this a bit of a cliché central. However, it is still a really nice film and Brian Gleeson (son of Brendan) is really likable as the down at luck Alan. His muse in the shape of Jessica Pare ('Mad Men') is both enchanting and vulnerable in equal measure. I really like Dublin and as a backdrop it works really well, but this keeps itself firmly in the realm of rom com, so if you like that you will not be disappointed; if you yearn for gritty realism and despise clichés then do not even consider this one – I for one quite enjoyed it.

I find this movie might have been underrated. Perhaps critics sometimes confuse simplicity and fidelity to the purposes of a genre, with limitations. A genre, in this case romantic, is necessarily limited in its scope and predictable; but those are not shortcomings, but merits of a genre, as classic tragedies and comedies show. To me it was a very good romantic movie, neat, elegant and charming. Classic. I watched it twice and the second time I enjoyed it even more; to me is a good sign that the film will stand the pass of time very well.