BenD

Despite having no money and little resources, this urban thriller, this David Lynchian nightmare, succeeds in almost every way. It has an offbeat tone, sometimes hilarious, sometimes meaningful, but always remaining hypnotically bizarre. It is as if John Carpenter directed Donnie Darko. Séamus Hanly takes us on a journey through a world inhabited by the barely living, the dead, and the not quite so dead. The atmosphere is set up nicely in the first few minutes with striking images of an unusual girl and a shimmering alleyway. These are clues to an enigma in which our tired and jet lagged protagonist must solve and for us, the audience, to sit back, put our feet up, and enjoy.

The characters are well cast, especially that of Colm Kearns who plays the unexpected hero, Ben. He excels portraying a lost soul, disconnected from the world, and delivers some excellent deadpan lines and carries the film quite effectively. In his first supporting role, Séamus plays Mr. Door, an eccentric and mysterious ally and mentor to Ben. They have excellent chemistry and it shows on screen. Dave Duffy is delightful as the antagonist Luke, an escaped prisoner from another world, and brings a welcome humour to the character, missed - in this reviewers opinion - in movie villains of today. Aisling Lynch and Gareth Lyons do a wonderful job playing the tragic lovers, lost, forgotten, and never to be found. They have a tender connection and it plays out nicely.

I'll admit this film won't appeal to everyone. It is very stylistic with dark and grainy images, and heavy dialogue. But it is has so much charm, humour, and intrigue. Enjoy the film for what it is. Don't try to make sense of it. It makes enough sense. Just watch it. For a no budget, independent film, it has the balls to try something different. This is not another "Irish" film. This movie show real up and coming talent so keep an eye out for the cast and crew!