Speed Dating

Don't Bother.

Billed as a romantic comedy it tells the story of James Van Der Bexton trying to find a girlfriend using speed dating. The man is the type of idiot most women run a mile from. Not only is he annoying, he's dull and lacks any charisma. There is some sort of sub plot involving memory loss and drug importation or something ... I don't know I'd lost interest by then.

The obligatory "making of" in the special features section of the DVD was funnier. Everybody is sooo earnest about this piece of crap. Keep an eye out for the guy with the red beanie and shades - hilarious!

Rawhead Rex brought me here. I stumbled upon this whilst doing a little research on Rawhead Rex, which is quite possibly one of the greatest horror films ever made. Upon my reading I discovered that Hugh O'Conner, the lead protagonist in Speed Dating along with a minor character played by Cora Venus Lunny, portrayed brother and sister in Rawhead, George Pavlou's undeniably underated 1986 masterpiece of horror photoplay. Ergo, I felt it would behoove me to sit with this for an hour and ten minutes. My assessment...if you've seen literally every young adult romantic comedy from the mid to late 90's, then you've seen this, except this was 10 years too late. In sumation, I have a participation trophy I'd like to wrap up and send to Tony Herbert if anyone has his shipping address. Side Note: if I hear one more breathy, off brand Lisa Loeb (sp?)...which incidentally name brand Lisa Loeb (sp?)makes me want to cram a gun barrel in my ear LOEB....folsky, whiny, 90's sounding, post pubescent but just barely, acoustic with WAY too much reverb garbage song, I'm going to sh#t....I'm actually going to sh#t. And you know what? I'll just sit in my filth. I say this because that sensation....feeling, hearing and inhaling my day old Burger King and Fat Tire anal vomit.....I would rather experience that over listening to those plucked out, airy, di#k head ditties. Good day!

I went to see this on Saturday night - I would have gladly walked out long before the credits rolled except that I was with a friend.....Most of the rest of the Cinema gathered up their popcorn, chocolate and drinks and left - either to try and sneak into another film, sit in the car park to enjoy the fumes or else to go home and watch Feris Buellers Day Off on VHS.

• I am absolutely shocked at the high rating being received here - I can only suppose that these people are big Fair City fans [8th rate Irish soap] or else that they were treated to a viewing in aos correctional facility and it made a pleasant change from normal Prison life ????

I want my €9.00 back - the 85 minutes of dreary running time I have already lost, grieved over and accepted as gone forever.

Speed dating had a unique plot, taking a modern twist on an old theme, love and dating. The writing was witty, intelligent, and laugh out loud funny. The acting, cinematography, and the soundtrack were superb, all meshing together in this well edited and well paced film.

The characters were hilarious and well thought out by writer, director, & actor Tony Herbert. There was a pleasing mix of modern outlier archetypes, way out at both ends of our social bell curve, that also managed to relate to personal experiences for those who have dated to any degree exhaustion, and haven't we all?

There was also a stark personal introspection in the protagonists' journey that I enjoyed. For me that is the mark of art, something that asks me to look at myself and others from a different angle. True works of art beg to be viewed again because they captivate. I would definitely watch this film again!

Speed dating is an original and quirky film that was made on a tiny budget when compared with other films currently on show in Irish cinemas. However despite this, the film offers great performances from the cast, particularly from Don Wycherley as the over zealous Detective Long and the pot-fueled psychiatrist played by David Hayman but it is O'Conor who steals the show and never fails to win our sympathy. Emma Choy is also great as the nurse with the heart of gold.

Speed Dating is a romantic comedy that is very funny and clever throughout and has one of the best soundtracks heard for a long time. Support independent Irish film making and go see it.