Clube dos Suicidas

This is not what you would call an average Irish film where ordinary people fight poverty, or kids gets dragged into nasty criminal business. The film seems to have gotten some bad reviews and I can only guess that this is because these people did not look hard enough. As the saying goes; 'the truth lies in the eyes of the beholder'. No, this film features something completely and utterly different. The film circulates around trust and what you can and what you can not do for a person depraved of the will to live. It touches the subject of trust very elegantly. Both romance and friendship is a part of the film, they do not take a leading purpose of the story but are always present in the background.

I was awestruck by the beauty of this film, it struck the bullseye of my heart. I am guessing that if you have ever known a very depressed soul this movie has a lot to teach you.

After the death of his alcoholic father, Jonathan Breech (Cillian Murphy) steals the urn with his ashes from the house of his brother and drives a robbed car off a cliff to commit suicide. However her survives and accepts an alternative sentence of three months in therapy in a psychiatric hospital with a suicide group under the supervision of Dr. Figure (Stephen Rea). He befriends the disturbed Rachel Row (Tricia Vessey), who saw her mother dying in an accident, and Toby (Jonathan Jackson), who accidentally killed his brother in a car crash. During the treatment, the sarcastic Jonathan changes his behavior and sees the importance of being alive.

"On the Edge" explores an unusual theme - the behavior of persons that have survived a suicide attempt. However, the plot fails since it is pointless and the motives of the lead character to try to commit suicide are never clear: does he miss his alcoholic father, or is he simply a crazy disturbed young man? On the contrary, the motives of Rachel and Toby are very clear. The acting is great, with the exception of Stephen Rea, who has a weak performance in the role of a passive psychiatrist that does not seem to help his patients. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Beira da Loucura" ("On the Edge of the Madness")

"On the Edge" is a touching story about people and life. It is too bad it never got a wider release, audiences would have appreciated it.

Cillian Murphy and Stephen Rea make this film. Murphy creates a relatable character with Jonathan, making us genuinely care for him and empathize with his pain. He is a talent to watch. Rea's subtle style of acting is perfect for the role of Dr. Figure. Their scenes together are funny and poignant at the same time. The dialogues between them are very well written, as are the ones between Jonathan and Rachel (the also good Tricia Vessey).

Since I always pay attention to a film's atmosphere, I have to say that I loved the atmosphere and cinematography in "On the Edge". There is a melancholy and earthy quality to the cinematography, which fits perfectly with the film's themes of joy, sorrow and, ultimately, life as the most valuable thing in the universe.

Everyone should see this film for its wonderful message and the acting.

9/10

On the Edge is a very unique film that you will not soon forget. From the very beginning I was captivated by the story and its characters. The characters are true to life as are the issues they are facing so it was very easy for me to identify with them. I was impressed by the performances of all three of the main actors, Cillian Murphy, Tricia Vessey and Jonathan Jackson. If I have any complaints about the film at all it would have to be that Jonathan Jackson should have been given top billing since it is his character, Toby, who is the true heart of the film.

In a way, On the Edge is a wasted potential, but it's hardly a film that should be avoided.

Its main problem is the fact it doesn't offer anything new. Patients in the mental institution, group therapy, doctors, rebellious patient that just doesn't want to follow the routine. That's right: we've seen it all, and we've seen it better; One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is simply too memorable and impossible to forget when watching one of the films about mental institutions.

On the Edge also feels a bit rushed, as if 30 minutes of it is missing. This doesn't let us get to know characters better or understand their stories.

But the film isn't completely bad. Stephen Rea does make us believe he's a doctor, and it's possible to sense a real person behind the professional persona, even if we never get to know much, if anything, about him. But the real heart of the film is Cillian Murphy, who manages to make his Jonathan as complex as the script allows him to.

He brings warmth, honesty and sarcasm to his character, without being over the top, even in extreme situations. Cillian Murphy is one of those actors who can speak with their eyes, and in this early role he proves himself as a talented actor that should not be overlooked.