Kisses

Written and directed by Lance Daly, Kisses is one of those little enjoyable gems that had its main leads breathe life to a fairly simple plot of a road movie of sorts, set around Christmas in the streets of Dublin, following the adventures of two children Dylan (Shane Curry) and Kylie (Kelly O'Neill), neighbours who decide to run away from their dreadful family members, and spiteful peers with whom they cannot clique.

Told in three main acts and bookended by black and white cinematography used to highlight the bleakness of their family lives full of constant bickering, violence, and an unspeakable act which will be revealed, these two loner kids find some common ground to want to escape together to the big unknown, with nary a clue and only a wad of cash which they bust on material goods.

Like a typical road movie, the people they meet become episodic scenes in which the film got made up of, some extended, like the friendly boat man they meet early in their adventures, right down to the seedy kidnappers who take a fancy at Kylie, either for personal pleasure or for some money making scheme, and some fleeting, such as the surreal chancing of a Bob Dylan lookalike (played by Stephen Rea). It's a spectrum of the nice and the nasties, and the duo have only each other to help look out for, while trying to search for Dylan's long longs brother with whom they hope will take them in.

It's a somewhat short feature film that becomes something like a travelogue where we get to see both the glitzier side of Dublin, and the stark nakedness of its grit, from unsavoury back alleys, to sub-urban neighbourhoods as we follow the kids in their attempt to survive on their own. Being short in run time, it managed to hold your attention throughout thanks to the wonderfully charismatic performances by the child actors Shane Curry and Kelly O'Neill, especially the latter as the vulnerable yet spunky Kylie who's more street smart than the dazed Dylan, and its indeed a wonder how she can actually fall for him.

One of my personal favourite scenes would be the ending, with its surreal like moments in slow motion, and the wry smile that both of them exchange, in acknowledging their relationship is now at a different plane, coupled with that tinge of mischief that they've had quite an adventure and had a good run. While being very foul mouthed, I thought the parting shot was oh-so-sweet, that it made you want more, just like how Kisses in the film got explained as something to be given or taken, with that desire and craving to go at it all over again.

Don't be put off by the thick Irish accent, as the film comes with English subtitles so that you can follow the humour, and adventures of two kids on the run from weariness, for that adventure of a lifetime. Recommended!

I caught this movie in the 49th Thessaloniki Film Festival in Greece just yesterday, and I have to admit it was an unexpected gem, since you can't really have high expectations out of the movies in Film Festivals...

Sweet, kind-hearted, honest, brave, wonderfully-outlined characters, wonderfully-developed scenario, all in all -an amazing film. I wish I could stumble upon movies like this more often. The cinematography and the direction are splendid. The Bob Dylan soundtrack tribute not only brings this movie to life, but makes it all the more stunning, as is the rotation between color and black-and-white; the film obtains color when the two protagonists are happy and it turns back to black-and-white when they are unhappy.

I'm pretty content to have caught this diamond of a movie amongst the piles of rocks. Congratulations to all involved for truly bold film-making.

An excellent movie even. Even with a short 75 minute running the movie is crafted and developed impressively. Not a feel good movie in the slightest. It is the story of two Irish runaway children that come from abusive homes. It is unabashedly forthright in its hopeless outlook on life in general. The subject matter of the movie is undeniably grim and pessimistic, but this is a great example of superb minimalist film making. Nothing is overdone or excessive. Everything on screen seems to be needed and no time or scene is wasted for any reason. This movie will satisfy fans of art house and foreign film. Some people will be put off by it due to its subject matter but others who appreciate this kind of movie will definitely want to go see it.

Either the two teenagers who play the central roles are the greatest teen actors in the world OR the director can handle teenagers better than any director in the history of cinema. You should see this movie just for the superb job these two young people perform. The movie by itself is excellent, the photography, the use of the music of Bob Dylan, the dialog (thank you for the on screen translations cause at times it sounded like a foreign film from somewhere in Eastern Europe). This movie really is a gem as starts out in monotone and then when the kids reach Dublin the color is fantastic. I guess I just can't say enough nice things about this flick, check it out, you gotta love it.

On Christmas Day two kids run away. Trust me, they had good reason. "Kisses" takes us on the next 24 hours of their lives as they wander through Dublin looking for a guy named Barry who will supposedly take care of them. At the same time they are running from the imaginary "sackman" who, the girl insists, takes young children and animals, throws them in a sack and beats them to death for fun. The story of these 2 runaways is charming, terrifying, bleak, beautiful, and just about everything else in between.

There is an instantly recognizable poetic quality to this film. That means: things are not necessarily spelled out, but instead we are made to piece together a backstory based on images, events and clues. Like the story of the 2 kids following the trail of this mysterious Barry fellow, we learn piece-by-piece exactly what's going on.

There is a subtle yet strong structure to this film. It is told in chapters with each chapter ending with a kiss (hence the name "Kisses"). Each kiss is symbolic and meaningful. Another interesting thing to note is the way the film changes between black & white and color, almost imperceptibly, yet in a very symbolic & meaningful way.

If you haven't guessed, this film has a lot more going than what's on the surface. Add to the mix a very appropriate soundtrack of Bob Dylan songs (in particular, great use of "Shelter from the Storm"), and you've got yourself an artistic treat.

The dialogue is mostly between the 2 young figures, and I was surprised at how authentically child-like it was while figuring in some absolute pearls of wisdom. One of my favorite lines is what the girl says to the boy as they're wandering off into the night: "You were right. There is no Devil. Just people."

The 2 young actors Kelly O'Neill ("Kylie") & Shane Curry ("Dylan") are, of course, what bring this film to life with a magical quality as only 2 genuine kids can display. It came as no surprise to me when I found out that these 2 were not actors. They were chosen from a bunch of kids that had been found at malls, schools and other such places. The result is a powerful film with a lot of honesty... not a pretentious art-house romp but an artistic film with real humanity.

If you enjoy meaningful "slice of life" movies as seen through the eyes of kids, then definitely check this one out. Also be on the lookout for "48 Angels" about a young boy who wanders off in search of Jesus, "Io non ho paura" ("I'm not afraid") about a boy who finds a deep hole where another boy is being held prisoner, the Wim Wenders classic "Alice in the Cities", and my favorite "Kikujiro" about a boy in search of his mother... accompanied by the grumpiest, foullest scoundrel in all of Japan.