Mystics

Although the film has a few shallow moments and unexplored plot points, there are enough subtle twists to leave you wondering just what is going on right up to the end. Is it a police set up? Is it a rival gang? The pub landlord? The Grieving widow? Where's the loot? Masterful performances by the main characters add up to make it a delight, and anyone who says that Irish film = s*** obviously listens to too much Slipknot! With elements of Arsenic & Old Lace, The Great Train Robbery and The Commitments this should be a joy for anyone who doesn't like their films too fast paced or over the top. The DVD extras include cast interviews and are best avoided due to the fact they arrange the individual comments as chapters. It's a huge irritation when some chapters are as short as 7 seconds and the DVD player takes longer locating the chapter than the comment.

Mystics is the type of movie you don't see very often these days. An old fashioned comedy romp, with a terrific ensemble cast headed by two classic stalwarts of stage and screen, David Kelly and Milo O'Shea.

The plot centres around two music hall old timers, Dave and Locky, who run a seance scam conning the widows of Dublin in a good natured way. Things turn a little precarious for the old boys when a local gangster dies and the boys get mixed up with his widow (played by an excellent Maria Doyle Kennedy) and rival gangs.

Mystics is good fun from start to finish and to see such an array of top quality Irish actors plying their trade with such obvious enjoyment is a piece of pure escapism.

Highly reccommended.

Once in a while, you see a film that you don't know that much about, but it completely surprises you. Mystics is one of those films. It was quirky, amusing and thoroughly original. David Kelly was fantastic and Milo O'Shea, who both are the last of their breed. You never see films like this anymore since Cyril Cusack left the planet. The farcical nature of this picture is a rare commodity - too many people in too many films take themselves too seriously these days... Wish one day I could meet the producer. It brings me back to the days of Ealing comedies - character-based films that lit up the UK business like a beacon... Loved it. Will watch again for sure! x

The main thing that attracted me to this movie was the fact that David Kelly stars in it.

Like in "Waking Ned", he plays someone who cons people, although in contrast to the other film, where he was merely taking advantage of an unforeseen situation, here he is making it his daily business.

David Kelly's acting is brilliant. One cannot fail to like his charm and quirkiness.

The plot itself seemed promising to me first, but I felt that it kind of lost much of its momentum after a while. So, much though I liked David Kelly's performance, the story itself I found a bit uninspired and not living up to its promises, which is a shame.

The movie is a classic Irish comedy with plenty of laughs and a few twists. Its easy going pace allows for some great dialogue between the lead characters and reminiscent of similar movies like the Commitments, The Van and Waking Ned.

The stars of the show David Kelly and Milo O'Shea play two music hall old timers turning a coin in their retirement years as mediums who communicate with the dead.

It's actually a bit of a scam as the two old timers con the widows of Dublin offering them the opportunity to commune with their dearly departed.

Enjoyable for all the family and one which you can watch again and again.