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.
