Adam & Paul

It takes some work to make anyone feel sorry for junkies but 'Adam and Paul' is a film that succeeds beyond any expectation. Yes, it shows the appalling lives of two junkies who have clearly been 'down so long' they have pretty much lost contact with reality, but it also makes you laugh, for even in their lives there is sometimes something amusing.

It's grim and the words 'with hilarious consequences' are not going to appear in my review, but the film does show there is still some humanity in them, particularly in the scenes with their pal. Yes, their condition makes them dislikeable people who are always on the look out for money to steal and people to scam from, but we are asked to appreciate that there is a glimmer of hope: no matter how dim.

A must see film, but make sure you're in an optimistic frame of mind before you go in, because 'Adam and Paul' will take its toll on the sunniest disposition.

Funny, bleak, sad, absurdist look at a day in the life two Dublin heroin addicts.

It's more 'Waiting for Godot' than 'Trainspotting'. Two wonderful lead performances by Tom Murphy and Mark O'Halloran as a sort of dark, drug addled Laurel and Hardy.

It's terrifically shot, with wonderful wide angle images of our two anti-heroes tramping through the urban jungle.

The ending wasn't quite as powerful for me as I think it was meant to be, and a few twists felt a bit forced.

But weeks after seeing it, images and moments stick in my mind. Always the sign of a good film.

Great to see that director Lenny Abrahamson continued to grow and make very strong films after this, including "What Richard Did", "Frank" and the Oscar nominated "Room", the last two finally garnering him some well deserved recognition beyond his homeland.

I saw this film twice and I really enjoyed it. I think that you cannot really compare it with Cowboys and Angels or Intermission (both of which I enjoyed) because it is much more surreal at times, the script is much less plot-driven and more focused on characters. It taps into a different cinematic tradition, much more 'European' than either of those two film. O'Halloran has an ear for language and accent, and allowing his characters to say some beautiful (simple) things: Paul says, frustrated, 'why can't things be easy, why can't we just be...relaxed'. It's not just about heroin addicts - it's about Dublin's invisible population, post-Celtic Tiger, those we don't want to deal with. The guy from Bulgaria takes some abuse from them and he replies 'who are you?', meaning they, i.e. two Irish men, are every bit as undesirable as he is. The humour in the film often consists of laughter that shocks you. The film is drawn out partly because the day in the life of an addict is very long and finding a score is SO important to them. The shock at my own relief when they did score was very apt in the film and I think skilfully done. It never preaches, just lets these sad characters be themselves. The cinematography is beautiful: Dublin comes out as a city of contradictions, with dirty back streets - where the Down's Syndrome boy is robbed - are juxtaposed with the flashy new 'Millenium Bridge', where Adam and Paul enjoy their hit. I do not consider this an "Irish" film and that is not why I would recommend it: it is beautifully scripted, acted and directed. It is just a great movie.

One of the first comments in the movie becomes the corner post of the irony of urban life. Paul states "I feel sorry for those Bulgarians.." while living in conditions that are as bad as anywhere. The actors did a great job, and you feel hungry and cold and angst with them. If the director's intention was to get viewers to feel empathy for the main characters, it works well.

The setting, the boy's hometown neighborhood, provides links to the boys' past and some later conversation gives an indication how their state of affairs came to be. The pace is a bit slow, but dramatic rather than boring. Making movies about junkies, it's easy to be dramatic and provide impact, this one does well. Not as graphic as it could have been, but definitely satisfying. Entertaining and quite sobering, probably a good watch for any 14yr old urban male as an education of consequences.

One of the best films at the Berlinale Film Festival. Gritty, disturbing with doses of black humour thrown in. The characters are likable and the film never dives into emotional manipulation. It's social realism at it's finest, creatively shot and brilliantly acted. Poignant and unforgettable.

The dynamics between the two characters are fascinating. Childhood friends, thrown together since age fourteen, living on the streets, without hope, full of despair, Adam constantly berates and yells at Paul but there is above all, a deep, lasting bond between them. They are despicable characters in so many ways, but there is such tragedy in their eyes and so much despair in their bones, and you end up feeling for them, and a certain innate understanding and empathy. They're outcasts with zero future. They're the "pathetic" people we walk past and ignore every day, and, in the film, they mesmerize.

Somebody said to me it's like Trainspotting without the humour. I'd say it's like Trainspotting, but without the over the top camera tricks, visualizations and the like. There is more social reality and despair, ala Mike Leigh. There is humour, but on a more subtle level.

It sticks with you.