Eternos Heróis

I watched this film not knowing what to expect... and it was a great surprise!! The story's two main characters, Mickybo and Jonjo, are terrific actors who surely have great careers ahead of them. They play the parts so well anyone would have trouble not identifying with their vivid imagination, excitement and refreshing naivety when they were their age. I also think writer and director, Terry Loane, has manged to incorporate Ireland's troubled history without making it too much a part of the film so as to spoil what is an excellent story in its own right. I am only disappointed, though, that this film has not made much of an impact in the UK. Especially with tag lines stating that this film comes from the makers of Billy Elliott and starring Julie Walters, Adrian Dunbar, Ciaran Hinds and Gina Mckee, I would have thought this film would have been pushed a lot more, however I am sure you will enjoy the film as much as I did!

I loved this film! The boys were a delight, I laughed so hard, and must admit I saw a bit of my husband as a child in Mickeybo. I enjoyed the adventures, or rather misadventures, of the boys, and enjoyed watching their characters develop. I am sure we all knew a Mickybo when we were kids, and as mad as we might have thought they were at times, we admired them as wished we could be a bit more like them. As for "treacle-coated ending", as one review said, it was no such thing. I felt it showed that things are not always as they seem and through it all, people can learn to to understand and accept each other. And not before time. I highly recommend this film!

Yes, what a great film. The only film I've ever seen that has prompted me to do a Google search and post a message!! The young actors do a fine job, supported by the big names and the great scenery. Nostalgic yes, but realistic also.

I thought it was good how they dealt with the Northern Irish situation without making it feature in every scene as some have done. I noticed religion was only mentioned once at the beginning, but the characters aren't defined by it. The scene towards the end of the handover at the border is very true, as an outsider coming into Northern Ireland I have seen how some perceive it as akin to the Berlin wall, whereas in reality it is quite insignificant. I think both boys act in a way that reflects the way their fathers treat them, you can see some of Mickybo's father in the way he tells off Jonjo on the stairs in the old house. And later, Jonjo reflects on his fathers affair and how he doesn't wish to return home to it, (after the hay fire).

While not taking sides, I think the ending summed up how the problems of Northern Ireland have continued, the way friendships change after tragic events, the facts become distorted (who stole the bike), and peer pressure dictating who you associate with.

Well done to film team.

Regards, Dan.

I made it my business to see this film on a recent brief visit to Dublin. I have no expectation that it will ever be released in the U.S. and more's the pity. It is quite charming and even clever. Using the "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" story as a backdrop and not being obvious (to someone who is not from Northern Ireland) about which boy was the Catholic/Protestant. Nice performances from the grown-ups, in the background. One reviewer had a problem with the geography of the locations. That happens in so many movies that it's only a minor distraction anymore. This is a fun and charming family movie. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed it until I heard myself describing it to friends when I got back to the U.S. Well done Terry Loane and all involved.

The story is basically that of two young boys in Belfast in the summer of 1970 who come from opposite sides of the sectarian divide. Obsessed with the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, they decide to run away to Australia and leave their problems behind.

I've seen this film twice and would happily watch it again. The two young main characters, Jonjo and Mickybo, are wonderfully cast and the story dwells on their friendship and their need to escape their lives rather than being just another film about the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

The cast is excellent, Adrian Dunbar being a standout as the wastrel father. The film is definitely a crowd pleaser but the story is good enough to avoid being corny or sentimental.