This darkly humorous drama set in Northern Ireland centre's around the Troubles, taking as its focus five Catholic youths whose lives are shaped by the violence that surrounds them.Wart, his girlfriend Frances and their friend Marley are joy riders. The nights are filled with car thefts, insane car rides in the stolen vehicles, fights and wild parties. Their lives are self-destructive and full of violence. The only things that mean anything to them are the solidarity with the group and the next crazy exploit they can come up with.After a meeting in which the Church and the IRA try to find a solution to the joyride epidemic, a devastating conflict flares up between the IRA representatives and the youths.The dark nature of the film is lifted only by the youngsters' slightly macabre sense of humour.
1970s Belfast: young protestant Victor Kelly's loathing for Catholics boils over and he embarks on a systematic killing spree. In the hope of covering himself in glory an ambitious reporter attempts to single-handedly solve the mystery of the murderer's identity...
Dave (Kelly) and Locky (O'Shea) are a couple of old-timers who have found the perfect scam offering solace and peace to the bereaved and an injection of cash to their pockets. Posing as a medium in touch with the other side Dave acts as the front man whilst his partner relays messages from 'beyond the grave'. All is going swimmingly until Larry the kingpin from the local mob gets killed and his wife wants to know where he's hidden his last haul. Unable to refuse a request from
With or Without You works as an above-average television drama; but that's about the height of its ambition. It's strange that Michael Winterbottom, director of the hard-edged, bitter Welcome to Sarajevo (1997) and the grandiose snowy western The Claim (2000) should have bothered with anything as routine and undemanding. Perhaps its greatest distinction is that it's set in present-day Belfast without so much as a mention of the Troubles. The plot is a bog-standard romantic triangle. Rosie and Vincent, who have been married five years or so, want a baby, but nothing's happening. It doesn't help that Rosie's older sister has sprogs burgeoning like mushrooms wherever you look. Then up pops a figure from Rosie's past--Benoît, her pen-pal from before she met Vincent. And being French, he's naturally charming, witty, romantic and everything poor old Vincent isn't. Think you can guess what's coming? Well, most likely you can--right down to the all-too-pat happy ending. Still, the actors (Christopher Ecclestone, Dervla Kirwan and Yvan Attal are the leads) are accomplished and watchable, the dialogue stays the right side of banal and it's refreshing to see Belfast shown as a civilised, cultured place to live. With or Without You passes an hour and a half pleasantly enough and may even raise the odd chuckle, but it covers well-trodden territory without much new to say. On the DVD: aptly routine stuff--the theatrical trailer, a bland "making of" featurette and some interviews with the three principal players. Widescreen (16:9 anamorphic) and Dolby Surround Sound give the material the best possible showcase. --Philip Kemp
Law and order is enforced in the city by the rival punishment squads of the Boilerman and the Westies. When Luke Bradley's son is found murdered rumour leads the squads to Sam Magee The Preacher who protests his innocence. Despite this he is taken to Sunset Heights where Luke Bradley is chosen to become his reluctant executioner. But another child goes missing and terror sweeps the city. It is said that the Preacher has risen from his grave seeking vengeance...
With or Without You works as an above-average television drama; but that's about the height of its ambition. It's strange that Michael Winterbottom, director of the hard-edged, bitter Welcome to Sarajevo (1997) and the grandiose snowy western The Claim (2000) should have bothered with anything as routine and undemanding. Perhaps its greatest distinction is that it's set in present-day Belfast without so much as a mention of the Troubles. The plot is a bog-standard romantic triangle. Rosie and Vincent, who have been married five years or so, want a baby, but nothing's happening. It doesn't help that Rosie's older sister has sprogs burgeoning like mushrooms wherever you look. Then up pops a figure from Rosie's past--Benoît, her pen-pal from before she met Vincent. And being French, he's naturally charming, witty, romantic and everything poor old Vincent isn't. Think you can guess what's coming? Well, most likely you can--right down to the all-too-pat happy ending. Still, the actors (Christopher Ecclestone, Dervla Kirwan and Yvan Attal are the leads) are accomplished and watchable, the dialogue stays the right side of banal and it's refreshing to see Belfast shown as a civilised, cultured place to live. With or Without You passes an hour and a half pleasantly enough and may even raise the odd chuckle, but it covers well-trodden territory without much new to say. On the DVD: aptly routine stuff--the theatrical trailer, a bland "making of" featurette and some interviews with the three principal players. Widescreen (16:9 anamorphic) and Dolby Surround Sound give the material the best possible showcase. --Philip Kemp
In the second volume of Friends Series 8, the next stage of Rachel's pregnancy is coping with everyone else's reactions and expectations. Immediately in "The One with Rachel's Date" we learn that Ross can't distinguish between father and friend. While their relationship grows ever more complicated, Phoebe just can't sit still as she moves from an infatuation with a sous-chef to her twin sister's fiancé (guest star Sean Penn). "The One with the Halloween Party" is when they meet, making for typically daft fun with the gang in costume: Monica is Catwoman, Phoebe is Supergirl, Chandler is The Velveteen Rabbit, Ross is Spudnik and Joey is Chandler! Penn's cameo continues into "The One with the Stain": while Rachel prays for an old lady to kick the bucket so she can get her apartment, Monica is concerned about the Maid she arranged. But that's nothing compared to her concerns over "The One with the Stripper" that she inadvertently arranges for Chandler! Highlights of this volume include meeting Rachel's explosive father, seeing her hand out cheques instead of candy at Halloween and learning why Chandler should be called Muriel instead of Toby. --Paul Tonks
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