The Shore

I just got back from viewing all ten short films nominated for the 2012 Academy Awards (five animated, and five live action), and Northern Ireland's "The Shore" was, without a doubt, the best of the five live action shorts. Its a hilarious film (but in a realistic manner, not in the silly, whimsical way which has frankly worn out its welcome in recent years, I think), and actress Maggie Cronin, as "Mary," the protagonists's ex-fiancée, really steals the show. At around age 50 (I'm guessing), she puts most 20something actresses to utter shame with her supernal, voluptuous beauty. I simply could not take my eyes of this woman! This one should definitely win the Oscar, but it probably won't, alas. They'll probably give it to "Pentecost," because it mocks the Catholic Church. Like that's an original, or risky thing to be doing in 2012 (in fairness, "Pentecost" was also funny). But this is the film that would win, if the Academy cared about truth & beauty. Which is a bit like saying Uganda would have been a splendid country in the 1970s, if only Idi Amin had been a humanitarian. Oh well. I guess I should be happy this excellent little film was nominated at all (else I'd have never heard of it, let alone seen it).

This film typifies everything that is wrong with Northern Ireland and its perception by the outside world.

Every single Irish cliché is trotted out over the course of this 30 minute derivative, unoriginal, uninspiring husk. There's the backward village with its white washed houses, the quirky local who is always happy to give unintelligible directions,people drinking Guinness,lots of breaking into song, bad teeth, the troubles and its aftermath and even a reference to the titanic (Needless to say Belfast has more to be proud of than building a ship that was a disaster.)

The film is a disgrace as it shamelessly panders to the ignorant (largely American)perception of Ireland, failing to distinguish between North and South, as a green land of inarticulate beer swilling simpletons. I fully expected to see a leprechaun make an appearance but perhaps that cameo is saved for the sequel. The very fact it won an Oscar is testament to the academy's lack of vision and parochial instincts.

As a Northern-Irish man myself I can proudly say the country I live in is nothing like that portrayed here. It is a dynamic, evolving society with its own distinct culture. In the words of David Homes, a Belfast born musician: This film's bad,let's slash the seats.

"Jim" (Ciarán Hinds) arrives into Northern Ireland from San Francisco with his daughter "Patricia" (Kerry Condon) and heads towards his childhood home where "Paddy" (Conleth Hill) is eking out an existence balancing his welfare payments with the proceeds from some illicit shellfishing with his pals on the local shore. Whilst they are taking in the view, "Jim" explains to "Patricia" just how the relationship with "Paddy" started and how, after a bit of girlfriend issues and with the arrival of the troubles, it all ended. Twenty five years have passed since and the question is: can they reconcile or is it all too late? It's probably ten minutes too long this, but it does liven up nicely towards the end as "Paddy" mistakes his new visitor, from afar, for the unemployment inspector and we have a scene on the sand straight out of "Blazing Saddles"! In a nation wracked with tragedy, this is quite a poignant film about the potential for and power of forgiveness, and in a typically Irish fashion - it's not straightforward nor without some humour, either.

I just completed my yearly pilgrimage to see the Oscar-nominated Live Action Shorts--tomorrow it's the Animated Shorts. This was a very unusual crop of shorts this year, as three of the five nominees were comedies--and usually the films are mostly deadly serious. Only two films are serious this year and NONE are about death, Nazis or other sad stuff! As I said, it's an unusual year. Now I am not complaining--this might just be the most enjoyable group of films I've seen in years.

This story is interesting in that you see two separate storied that eventually merge. It begins with a man and his friends walking along the shore--picking up mussels and other shellfish to sell. And, at the same time also in Ireland, you see a man coming back to his homeland after many years--and he brings his daughter with him. However, despite meeting all these old friends, there is a nagging problem--and it involves the beachcomber you see at the beginning of the tale.

As I said above, if I were the type person to gamble, I'd put my money on "The Shore" to be the Oscar-winner this year. Now this ISN'T to say it was necessarily the most enjoyable or that the other films were poor--but "The Shore" was the best overall package. It had it all. The story was very complex--rewarding and with some wonderful twists. The acting was lovely throughout. The story looked very cinematic--and the direction was very deft. There was simply nothing that could stand improvement. And, I kept my interest throughout.

UPDATE: Well, I wish I WAS a betting man as, indeed, "The Shore" did win the Oscar this year.

This film was made near my home village and like most Northern Irish films, it was a totally disappointment, as it simply pampered to the Americans on every level. The acting was horrible, the cinematography was film student quality and even the transfer of the footage looks like the film was shot with cheap camcorders. It made the people of Ireland look like drunken unemployed morons who still live in white washed cottages... talk about being stereotyped. When one compares this to "Six Shooter" (another Oscar Winning Short Film from Ireland)... one has to question the merit of the selection process of the Oscar.... A load of bland, uninspiring rubbish!!!