Intermission

to be honest, the first scene sums this movie up, it's a punch in the face. you have to have a very dry sense of humor to like this movie, i don't think it was made for the usual "american" market. our culture is geared toward in your face comedy, like old school or dodge ball, where subtle darker humor about everyday life gets lost. husbands leave wives, people get fired from terrible jobs, and in general have crappy lives. but it is up to us to enjoy what we have, and finding the strength to keep on going no matter what, and this movie is like that. it has an all star cast, from Colin Farrell to Colm Meany, Shirley Henderson to Cillian Murphy they all shine like the stars they are.

Intermission is one of those modern multiple storyline films in which a group of characters lives intertwine. And, as per usual involves a car crash. These factors tie it to the likes of Magnolia, Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Crash, 13 Conversations About One Thing and many more films I'm sure that escape me at this point. So what does Intermission have to offer that these films do not? For one, the acting talent involved is pretty much a who's who of Irish (and Scottish) actors at present. Colin Farrell, Cillian Murphy, Colm Meaney, Shirley Henderson and Kelly Macdonald. The other main factor in the quality of Intermission lies in it's script, which comes across as funny, engaging and despite the comparisons made above is fairly original. It is most definitely a lighter affair than some of it's contemporary rivals listed above, and though not groundbreaking by any means, is a well-made and engaging piece of work.

I guess the fact that it has a great cast and a lot of black humour is what makes it so fun. But it has a good script, nice sound and that thick accent is funny as hell.

As some other guy here said, movies that show a lot of interconnected subplots that elevate the level of intimate knowledge about the characters is unlikely to get old, at most it is in danger of being done to death.

Bottom line: this is an Irish "Crash". I found it well done and funny, although a bit slow at times and you have to strain your ears a bit if English is not your mother tongue. However, I advice against translations, as you risk getting something an illiterate 10 year old thought he heard, like I did :(

I really enjoyed "Intermission" which is set in Dublin. It has a great cast who play lovable losers who take themselves too seriously. Their antics make for a funny and entertaining film. There are a number of different plot lines but the characters are all connected somehow. In some ways it's like a comic version of Babel. Dubliners seem to have a limited vocabulary and every adjective seems to begin with F, so it's not a family film. But it's fast paced and should make you laugh.

The film starts when John (Cillian Murphy) decides he needs a break or intermission from Deirdre, (Kelly Macdonald) his girlfriend. She then makes John jealous by going off with Sam (Michael McElhatton), a married bank manager. Sam's wife of 14 years (Deirdre O'Kane) having been dumped embarks on a program of revenge, including sex with John's best friend, Oscar (David Wilmot). Jerry (Colm Meaney) is a police detective who likes beating people up and listening to Celtic music. He convinces a TV producer to make a documentary about his life. John and Oscar both work in a supermarket where their boss Mr. Henderson (Owen Roe) is a pompous twit. Deirdre's sister Sally (Shirley Henderson) was recently humiliated by a former boyfriend and sports a impressive mustache. Lehiff (Colin Farrell) is a thug who wants to rob Sam's bank. He is a friend of John and together they plan a bank robbery. Finally, there's Mick (Brian F. O'Byrne), a bus driver who is fired from his job and joins the gang. It's all good fun.

I'm quite surprised that this film hasn't got a higher rating. This really is a gem of movie. Well-written, well-acted, witty and brutally black dialog makes this a modern Irish classic. The acting is excellent. Colin Farrell is well cast as the stereotypical Dublin scumbag which he seems to have great fun portraying. Cillian Murphy is great as the lovelorn rogue John while David Wilmot steals the show from his more famous co-stars as unlucky in love Oscar. Kelly MacDonald, Shirley Henderson, Deirde O' Kane and Colm Meany add more weight to a highly talented cast.

The film follows the lives of several different characters in contemporary Dublin and how their lives intersect. The violence and coarse language is matched by the tender and honest scenes. The fast pace of the movie holds the viewers attention fantastically well as we follow the lives of these highly likable characters(well maybe not Farrell but he is still compelling and hilarious to watch) while they search for love, happiness and the answers to life's complicated dilemmas. A true original. Even though its not much of an achievement, by far the best Irish movie ever made. Perfect stories. Perfect writing. Perfect characters. Perfect acting. Perfect film.