A Sunken Place

'A SUNKEN PLACE' really grabs you and won't let go. At first it's a medical thriller about a young Irish neurologist who discovers a cure for depression. Then, she is harassed by the giant pharmaceuticals who'll do anything to stop her. Intercut with this main story we encounter the lives and stories of four human casualties of depression, and this brings murder, madness, suicide and espionage into the mix. Fast paced, you never know what's going to happen next; and the acting by newcomers Emma Dargan-Reid and Liam Murphy is exceptional, as is the veteran Barry McGovern as the villain. A fascinating script, by Gerard Daly, superbly directed by Ronan O'Leary.

A Sunken Place: I got a sinking feeling from the opening scene of this film. A man jumps from a bridge and lands in a car, bouncing off. But there's not a dent on the bonnet. Later at the man's wake a completely different actor is in his coffin. No one suffering from a mental illness is portrayed in a sympathetic manner in this travesty. They are violent and decapitate a woman, suffer from schizophrenia and abuse their invisible tormentors, after failing to commit suicide a girl runs off to join a circus. The plot: set in Ireland, a neurologist develops a chip which when implanted would cure all mental disorders, naturally the pharmaceutical industry sabotages her plans. On this occasion I'm on their side. The neurologist is effectively a Dr Frankenstein, controlling the chips from a laptop, illegally experimenting on humans. The film is drenched with melodrama, bad acting, corny dialogue and unintentional comedy. The makers of this film should be hunted down and sent to film school. Director Ronan O'Leary, Written by Gerard Daly. 3/10 for the inadvertent comedy.