Patrick's Day

Patrick's Day, is a breath of fresh air. In it we meet Patrick (Mo Dunford), a young man who suffers from a variety of mental health problems as he embarks upon a romantic relationship with an enigmatic flight attendant named Karen (Catherine Walker) who, as it transpires, has mental health issues of her own, albeit ones which would be less obvious to an onlooker. Patrick's fiercely protective mother (Kerry Fox) is unimpressed by the pair's fledgling relationship and seeks out the help of a world weary cop (Philip Jackson) in order to bring an end to it – by any means necessary.

The relationship between Patrick's mother and her 'hired gun' is arguably every bit as interesting as that of Patrick and Karen, if not more so. Here are two people who have been left severely damaged by the great lengths that they have gone though in order to achieve what they felt was right. In a sense they are kindred spirits, both of whom are struggling with the increasingly morally ambiguous path that they have embarked upon. It is a testament to McMahon's great writing and direction in that what is essentially a sub-plot manages be so compelling. At a glance, Patrick's mother could be perceived as a sort of wicked stepmother archetype as seen in the likes of Cinderella. However, such an interpretation of her character would be an uncharitable one. Her determination to drive Patrick and Karen apart is not indicative of any inherent cruelty or malice, but rather genuine love and a powerful maternal connection to her son. While her methods may seem cruel, they are born of her desire to protect Patrick, even if her protection is the last thing that he wants at this stage in his life. Kerry Fox plays the role wonderfully; here is a complex and challenging character who, while cast as a sort of villain to the piece, never feels like a truly bad person and is every bit as deserving of our sympathy as the star-crossed lovers who she opposes.

Ms Fox is but one excellent performer in what is a brilliant ensemble cast. No amount of praise is too great for Mo Dunford in the titular role. His performance is simply spellbinding as he conveys a character who is suffering at the hands of his mental health demons. Vitally though, Dunford never allows said mental health problems to define who Patrick is as a character. He is a charming and affable young man first and foremost and, as such, has much the same needs and desires of others in his demographic. The fact that he has mental health issues is something of a secondary consideration as far as he is concerned. The film makes a point to highlight that Patrick is a product of who he is, not what he is.

Patrick's Day, it must be said, is not the easiest watch that a viewer will encounter as it becomes apparent quite early on in the film that a happy ending where everything works out for the best is highly unlikely. It is however, a finely crafted story with impressive characterisation and powerful themes which, while difficult at times, is an absolute triumph which will leave much for the audience to contemplate long after the closing credits have finished rolling.

I couldn't wait to see this in the run up to it's release, and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Patrick's Day is a very moving piece of work, an assault on the emotions, and has a fantastic central performance from Moe Dunford. There is excellent support from the rest of the cast, and especially Kerry Fox, brilliant as the manipulative mother who has convinced herself that everything she does is for Patrick's sake. Nicely shot too, with several compositions that seemed to evoke Patrick's state of mind at the time. It is an extremely compelling film, and difficult to come away from. There are different kinds of love, and this film shows us how far people will go to give it, receive it, and to feel it. In all it's forms. Love is madness. Great film.

Stunning work. The writing, direction, cinematography and acting are all remarkable. David Fincher talks of the difference between movies and films however the best of both blur the lines of each, and Patrick's Day does just that. From the very opening Patrick and his world are seen caged as we view them from the inside a shopping trolley Patrick pulls and pushes. Immediately it is obvious there is more than narrative at work. His world may be behind bars, but so are we. Static locked inside the trolley. We are pushed and pulled by him and his world, by him and his day, and by Terry McMahon's film. And if you have drowned so deep in Patricks Day and the madness of love by the ending that you have forgotten your part in it all...even then you will still find what you need. It's as open as Moe Dunford's performance. Moe who won many accolades for his Patrick is central to the creation of Terry McMahon's hyper-real dream. He is sublime.

As a piece of Irish Film, in keeping with the best of Irish Films, it could be set nowhere else and yet it's setting is irrelevant. It is a universal story being told where it needs to be. The passionate commentary and probing of a culture and society makes it immediately universal. There is not a single motif of the worst of Irish movies to be seen or thankfully heard. It stands to all critique, and unusually for a lot of Irish film it warrants and stands to a political, social and film reading. There are no post-modern laughs from a comedic social underclass. There is no easy trite targeting of the 'okayed' cultural targets. It's original. It's fresh. The writing and narrative are so strong that the 'movie' happens while the 'film' happens...seamlessly as one.

Is it masterpiece? No. Because after watching Terry McMahon's debut, zero-budget, punk, polemic, political critique 'Charlie Cassanova', and now watching this stunningly accessible yet multi-layered love story, which he created for next to nothing...you can only be excited by how good he could be with time and money. Perhaps this would be a masterpiece for some...but I hope the McMahon masterpiece is yet to come and I get to see it. But if all you ever did as a film maker was half of what these two films do...that'd be a victory.

Love is madness. Dive in.

I didn't know what to expect from this small Irish film, but I was blown away by its script and acting. Patrick's Day was extremely well- received by the audience at its world premiere at Austin's SXSW Film Festival. This setup that the story is about a mentally ill man's quest to find love turns out to be much more complex as the role that his mother plays in his life becomes clear. The film explores issues such as the meaning of intimacy, memory, sanity and love. Writer/Director Terry McMahon has done an excellent job of exploring these issues and Moe Dunford does a beautiful job in the lead role. This is the type of gem that one can often find at a festival like SXSW, but which often have a difficult time getting wider distribution. I hope this small film gets wider distribution, because more people really need to think about the complicated issues that it raises.

Patrick's Day is a tribute to the much misunderstood and beautifully brilliant world of mental illness. Those affected, are disabled by society and not by their condition. The film will open the door to much needed change in social attitudes. It is too real and raw to even begin to describe the flawless acting, let alone the magnificent script writing and I was not surprised to learn of its worldwide success. From the opening scene of this film I was entranced. The camera work from beginning to end, is superb; but especially the initial tracking shot which creates intimacy with Patrick from the first second. The film, like its predecessor Charlie Casanova, took me straight out of my comfort zone; this may be disconcerting for some, but we need this perspective and true insight. Patrick's Day is a love story in its most raw form. The film is a must see for anyone struggling to understand the dynamics of love and vital importance of intimacy. When the two lovers meet, they each need, trust and almost demand that intimacy. This is how it could always be, if people weren't caught up in social 'norms' and expectations. It is obvious that Patrick's innocence, beautiful mind and body are the perfect sanctuary for a very obviously traumatised Karen. It all makes magnificent sense.

For intimacy we need trust, and in trust we need truth. So frightening, rare and beautiful, that truth is often found in those we choose to call 'disturbed', or 'mentally ill'. Karen and Patrick find solace in each other. It is their unique bond that holds the story together, while every other character seems to fall apart. The film masterfully contrasts the simplicity of a loving connection with a complex dysfunctional environment. It brings the viewer feelings of unsure empathy for the abusers. This is rare and true art.

No one should watch this film needing to understand it, or over-analyse it; far better to just feel every second of it and allow it to resonate. We are all oppressed in one way or another, sadly tending to accept the unacceptable. This film, in a myriad of ways shows how fundamentally wrong that acceptance is. To coin an apt phrase, in so many senses, 'the lunatics are running the asylum'...

A truly beautiful film.