The Irish Connection

'The Irish Connection' takes you on a wild ride through the world of spies and secrets. You've got Aureille, a gutsy agent on a mission to crack a major heist. But hold on tight, because things get crazy when she's backstabbed by someone she'd never expect! Going rogue is her only play. The movie's got it all, heart-thumping action, stunning visuals, and a lead who totally nails it. What really gets you is how it mixes all that adrenaline with questions about trust and betrayal. If you're up for a rollercoaster of suspense and feelings, 'The Irish Connection' should be on your watch list, no doubt.

I enjoyed this. It had been one of those movies I had heard about from the festivals but had never gotten around to.

There are times when it seems that Rosa Coduri is such a cold fish (ala Adulthood), that one has trouble getting connected to her. In this film she is really believable as a woman who has all the training of a killing machine, but a soft side that bears exploring. The character is put into situations she can't understand but can only react to. She has compassion but little understanding. What an interesting role. If there's a shortcoming, it's that the motivations of the bad folks aren't all that clear. It's still a delight to watch her relationship with Jay develop. There is a level of subtlety that most films of this type don't have. The car chases are not spectacular but, for once, funny and with pathos. I appreciated this.

This spy farce is about a Priest who steals bearer bonds from some other bad guys and goes on the lamb to Malta. The problem is, he has absolutely no idea what he is doing and is in way over his head because he is NOT a trained thief and not the real mastermind behind this plot.

Both the bad guys, a secret agent and his own family are on his tail, so how do you think he should deal with this dilemma? Of course, make up that you really are a priest. The problem is, he is too good at it and the lies take on a life of their own! This comedy is a bit silly at times and unbelievable compared to some, but it is still an excellent film. Don't be put off by mediocre reviews that came out since its release--it's well worth your time.

OK, in retrospective, we should all know that espionage movies are all about cool dudes battling evil, and attracting hot partners in the process (though the latter often overshadowed the former, as Austin Powers showed). "The Irish Connection" is no exception. I will say that Agent Aureille (Rosa Conduri) isn't exactly Jason Bourne, but she has her merits. The movie mostly seems like an excuse to experience that ultra-cool feeling that always emanated from the spy movies of the '60s, and they achieve that.

So, even if it isn't Bourne, it's still very enjoyable. Also starring Matt Healy...and a bunch of clowns.

The four most important spies are James Bond, Jason Bourne, Harry Tasker and Natasha Romanov.

Aureille plays a recently single CIA agent, and there's lots of chases and red herrings as the bad guys played by Emmerdale farms Matt King, all try to unmask her. Aureille decides to beat them at their own game and joins forces with Danny and Jay and outspy's everyone. That's when the movie takes a left turn and clowns enter the mix! The whole thing is a real hoot, and very entertaining.

It's all a lot of harmless fun, and Malta looks amazing place to visit!