White Irish Drinkers

Great to see Karen Allen again, and Peter Riegert and Stephen Lang! Such good actors. This is a smallish, low-budget, independent film, but the it is carried by a good cast, younger actors included. Nick Thurston manages to avoid hackneyed playing of familiar family dynamics, making his moments very specific to the character of Brian, who emerges as definitely the hero of the story. Both Geoffrey Wigdor and Leslie Murphy efficiently and movingly convey the writer-director's idea of trapped people trying to escape their environment in different ways with varying outcomes. Personally, my favorite parts involved 1) the location in Suffern New York: the old Lafayette revival theater (playing itself!), and 2) the scripting of the final exchange between two of the characters; it was just what I wanted to see happen.

I was invited to an advanced screening of White Irish Drinkers with no expectations of the film, and I must say I was truly impressed.

From the acting of Steven Lang, who, as always - was extraordinary, to the under-appreciated Karen Allen in one of her best roles. And finally to Nick Thurston who delivered a strong, measured performance that anchors the story.

In addition, Seamus Tierney provided some exceptional cinematography shot on location in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn - rarely seen on film since Saturday Night Fever in 1977, which coincidentally is the roughly the year when Drinkers is set.

But it is the director/writer/producer John Gray who's long career of solid work has served him well in bringing this powerful story to life.

I graduated High School in 1976. I grew up in Bay Ridge/Sunset Park. I am Irish. My father was a drunk. My hobby is painting. The opening shots of the Bridge and then a pan of OLPH hit a cord with anyone who knows the area.

I wanted to like this movie a lot. It was brought down by a kind of predictable plot and predictable characters. It was brought up by some great (but uneven) acting and the way that Bay Ridge itself becomes a character in the film.

In a bigger movie, Karen Allen might have gotten an Oscar nod for her performance as a good-hearted, long-suffering, worn down Mother. Leslie Murphy totally nails her part as a Brooklyn girl. Less successful are the male leads. Steven Lang overplays the stereotype tough working class drunkard dad. Geoffrey Wigdor channeled a little too much Fonzie/Adam Dice Clay into his characterization of a Brooklyn Punk. Nick Thurston is endearing as a somewhat wide-eyed caught in a moment I can't get out of Catholic School boy wanna' be artist whose life is made difficult by the people around him for no real explainable reason. But he doesn't even try for a Brooklyn accent, and that strikes me as a little out of place.

But the bar/party scenes, the neighborhood, the stoops and corners are the authentic feel of Bay Ridge, although, in its entirety it is a much nicer more hopeful place than shown (although the 70's were it's low point). There are a lot of small moments in this movie that ring true. When Brian opens Danny's notebook that is a real punch in the gut. Two young guys sitting on a stoop talking...dead on Brooklyn, there. The idea that people would run naked through Greenwood Cemetery (one of the most famous busiest cemeteries in the country, which is crossed with roads) didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Overall, I would recommend this movie for the acting and the little things that it got right, although you have to overlook some senseless derivative plot elements to enjoy it.

So few films today provide such a rich and gritty study of both human frailty and human spirit and redemption. White Irish Drinkers is definitely one of them.

I loved it. I saw it last night and I have thought about it several times since - a mark of a good film.

I am going to act like I didn't see it and watch it again with my husband tonight. Don't think you can get a better endorsement than that.

Only very minor issues:

It is a coming of age story. All the characters are tremendously real with Karen Allen the exception. She was too cliché and wasn't able to pull off enough suffering commensurate with what she was actually going through

Ha....can't believe I actually did see a blooper. It is set in 1975 and in the opening credits scenes, there is a picture of a molded white plastic chair...which didn't exist back them. I am surprised no one noticed...especially 3 minutes into the movie.

Went because Karen Allen is a neighbor to a special screening on a nasty night for weather. So glad that I did. This is a very honest movie that is realistic and avoids stereotypes of a blue collar neighborhood. Shows local pride and strong bonds coupled with distrust of those who aspire to something different from the norm. Some violence (not extreme)is shown for what it is and not glamorized.

Many nuanced performances, including all the leading character. Lots of humor and warmth. And in addition to the excellent characterization, authentic depiction of the 1970s and good sense of local color, there is a strong story line. A real pleasure to see a technically and artistically excellent and honestly crafted piece of work.