Mickybo and Me

As a former serving soldier in Northern Ireland, during the "Troubles " - my first tour was 1969/70 - I found my eyes wandering to desperately identify places in Belfast where I had done a thousand F.P.'s (foot patrols) and was delighted when I spotted a place I recognised. As another reviewer said, it wasn't about the "Troubles" or our presence over there, but it was a magnificent backdrop to the film.

The acting was outstanding, the location work terrific and the two young lads at the centre of the film were simply awesome. The accents varied a little and I spotted a couple of the actors contriving the Belfast brogue - esp Julie Walters, but, hey, who cares, as she is one of the finest actors in the world - but in general, it was a poignant and moving tribute to an incredible, relationship which stretched beyond the sectarian divide.

Belfast went mad in 1970 and this movie accurately conveys that.

I would recommend this film without hesitation.

I made it my business to see this film on a recent brief visit to Dublin. I have no expectation that it will ever be released in the U.S. and more's the pity. It is quite charming and even clever. Using the "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" story as a backdrop and not being obvious (to someone who is not from Northern Ireland) about which boy was the Catholic/Protestant. Nice performances from the grown-ups, in the background. One reviewer had a problem with the geography of the locations. That happens in so many movies that it's only a minor distraction anymore. This is a fun and charming family movie. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed it until I heard myself describing it to friends when I got back to the U.S. Well done Terry Loane and all involved.

I loved this film! The boys were a delight, I laughed so hard, and must admit I saw a bit of my husband as a child in Mickeybo. I enjoyed the adventures, or rather misadventures, of the boys, and enjoyed watching their characters develop. I am sure we all knew a Mickybo when we were kids, and as mad as we might have thought they were at times, we admired them as wished we could be a bit more like them. As for "treacle-coated ending", as one review said, it was no such thing. I felt it showed that things are not always as they seem and through it all, people can learn to to understand and accept each other. And not before time. I highly recommend this film!

The world could be much better and easier if the children were heard or if they could speak more. The real world problems and boring routine are fantasy and dream for the kids.

Mickybo and JonJo are two of these young beings who simply don't see the things the way we adults too. They love cinema and have a special passion for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. After watching their heroes at the movie theatre they see daily life as a scenery for the adventures they create on their fresh minds.

They live in Belfast, a beautiful city that is unfortunately terrorized by bombs and religious division. They live on opposite sites of the place, but the imagination and sense of adventure they share make their friendship develop fast. This is a nice film that makes us see the hard reality through the eyes of these kids who do their best to make their dreams come true. We learn a lesson out of it: we should never stop dreaming.

I watched this film not knowing what to expect... and it was a great surprise!! The story's two main characters, Mickybo and Jonjo, are terrific actors who surely have great careers ahead of them. They play the parts so well anyone would have trouble not identifying with their vivid imagination, excitement and refreshing naivety when they were their age. I also think writer and director, Terry Loane, has manged to incorporate Ireland's troubled history without making it too much a part of the film so as to spoil what is an excellent story in its own right. I am only disappointed, though, that this film has not made much of an impact in the UK. Especially with tag lines stating that this film comes from the makers of Billy Elliott and starring Julie Walters, Adrian Dunbar, Ciaran Hinds and Gina Mckee, I would have thought this film would have been pushed a lot more, however I am sure you will enjoy the film as much as I did!