A Date for Mad Mary

On her release from prison a troubled girl struggles to find a date for her best friend's wedding.

Engaging coming-of-age story that balances romance with well observed character difficulties. The intro is nicely judged, and the pace carries us along at a good clip. A few comedy set pieces are underwritten, especially the stuff on the dating agency, so the humour misses out on a few laughs but maintains a light tone. And the direction keeps the simple moral of the tale from falling into soap-opera.

The outstanding element is the performance of the lead actor - she's lively and brooding at the same time, with a gift for the close-up. Other performances are good, although the lesbian lover is not quite convincing.

Music is a bit montagey. Editing good.

Overall: Decent story elevated by a talented actor.

Could have been five, but missed a few details. First, the title doesn't describe the essence of the story. Second, the cover doesn't covey it either. OK, picky points over. Third, the ending (some directors are prone to this cutesy & nebulous non-creative trick) leaves the viewer hanging, e.g. wasn't clear who was on the phone. Fourth, we didn't get enough of the background of Mary's character and what sent her to jail. One of the central themes is the transformation of Mary which for some viewers to understand requires more background. The disfigurement of a person is not a trivial matter to not address. Won some awards at an Irish film festival.

A film that is original, topical and profound all at the same time! Modern cinema is typified by having a multiplicity of story-lines and an equal diversity of often unintelligible accents. Not so this production! The viewer is taken gradually into the inner workings of several characters by a director who knows how to tell a story with total clarity.

The acting is so exceptional and the cinematography so unobtrusive that I found myself totally engrossed in the reality on screen. Having worked with people not unlike "mad Mary" I found the portrayal remarkably accurate and touching. There is a great balance of sensitivity and humour. Although the story is based in Ireland, this is a tale that will strike chords around the world. This is a very special piece of cinema.

Mary McArdle has just been released from prison after doing time for a violent crime. On here release she goes home to Drogheda where she can't wait to catch up with her best friend Charlene. But Charlene is getting married and despite having Mary as 'Maid of Honour' she seems heavily reluctant to hang out with her erstwhile closest friend.

What is worse Mary has not even got a 'plus one' on the Wedding invite as she has no boyfriend. So she sets out to get herself a date and then by dint of force of character make them join her for the Wedding. Seems like a simple plan but we all know what happens to the best laid plans, and in that department Mary is no exception.

Now this is a comedy drama and it deals with real life issues, often in an unflinching way but this is brilliantly juxtaposed with some razor sharp comedy and moments of wit that border on being genius. Seana Kerslake as 'Mad' Mary is perfect for the role and bodes well for more to come in her career. The entire cast though are spot on and the Grandmother gets two of the best lines, so the fun is spread round.

It is directed by Darren Thornton who co wrote it with Colin Thornton and I think they should be very proud of such an unassuming film that packs such a big cinematic punch. This is a film I can recommend all day long.

The story to some extent is as simple as someone coming out of jail and finding out her friends have moved on and developed without her and her coming to terms with that.

The search for a date is simply a way of showing her alienation and her fear of making new connections when her old ones lie broken.

The acting is low key and first rate.

Thoroughly enjoyed this movie, but in a melancholy way.