The Last Right

It's certainly not the best movie I've seen this year, but it has a lot of heart in it, and lots of messages and lessons to give in a well-crafted package. And while it lasts around 1 hour and 40 minutes, it felt longer to me.. like a tv series of sorts. I was half-way there when I started to wonder how much was left. It's quite a bit of drama! But somehow felt "childish".. yet very realistic. The characters are not those you'd easily fall in love with, and their interactions are not as memorable. And some of their choices are questionable, but it's that sort of film that makes me wonder how I'd react if I was in their shoes.

Still! It's a plot I've never seen before.. and got "out of hand" at times, which I appreciate, because it's better to be surprised than bored.

Just wished the movie had more landscapes or better shots, to at least fall in love with the island.

The Last Right: Daniel Murphy (Michael Huisman) is flying home from the US to attend his mother's funeral when it turns out the guy next to him Padraig Murphy (Jim Norton) is bringing his brother back to Ireland to bury him. The quirkiness of this serious comedy kicks in right away as Padraig dies on the flight and has named Daniel as his next of kin. It looks as if Daniel has talked his way out of this quandary and he makes his way to Clonakilty where his brother Louis (Samuel Bottomley) lives. Louis is an autistic teenager still at school and Daniel will now be responsible for him. The corpse of Padraig follows Daniel (via the Garda) and at Louis's urging he agrees to transport the body to Rathlin Island, at the very other end of the Island of Ireland. A road movie ensues as Daniel and Louis are joined by an eccentric mortician, Mary (Niamh Algar) in their journey.

There are perhaps too many odd characters in the film as a Detective Superintendent (Colm Meaney) sets off in pursuit of the trio after a misunderstanding with a pellet gun results in them being perceived as a criminal gang. Serious relationship questions are teased out as Daniel wants Louis to move to the USA but Louisa doesn't wish to lose his girlfriend. An awkward, troubled affair starts to develop between Daniel and Mary. There is no stereotyping of Autism and though Rain Man is referenced it is used to develop a conversation on how there are many points on the spectrum and Louis is an individual with his own strengths. There is also a major plot reveal which influences the viewers understanding of the narrative.

A solid drama/comedy written and directed by Aoife Crehan. 8/10.

I loved this quirky road movie. As with lots of fiction, once I suspended shades of disbelief (as when the elderly Padraig Murphy, who is transporting his dead brother on the plane from the USA to Ireland for burial, dies on the plane, but before he names the passenger next to him, coincidentally called Daniel Murphy (Michael Huisman), as his next of kin), I relaxed into the mould of the film. The acting is very good throughout. Daniel's "brother" Louis (Samuel Bottomley) sensitively portrays an autistic personality and the plot is peppered with comic vignettes including the bonny and clyde scene with the impetuous Mary (Niamh Algar) and the toy gun at a take away. There are magical landscape scenes along the way, some probably done with drones. Overall a hilarious, entertaining and touching movie.

I love Niamh Algar when she plays the girl next door roles. Simple, relaxed, no edge.

The Irish scenery is impressive too. It's a road movie across the island or Ireland (and a bit of New York).

Daniel and Louis are also likeable characters while Colm Meany leads the chase to track them down.

It's a likeable film that the family could watch (if you omit the swearing that the Irish are prone to using).

There is humour there but it's rarely laugh out loud stuff but the characters are credible and you can care about them plus there are a few great tunes too.

This will resonate with me as we buried my dad in the day this is said to have happened but our occasion wasn't quite so eventful.

A feel good movie about death. How very Irish to be sure.

Though the subject matter may be a little dark, the film handles it in a light hearted manner that is still respectful to the dead. The story is hilarious, and touching as well. The beautiful Irish scenery is on the showcase as well. I really enjoyed this morbidly delightful comedy.