I can't tell whether i'm being hard on this film or not... ...i mean, i enjoyed it thoroughly, and i would definitely recommend it as a wonderful way to spend an evening, but sometimes it seemed like it couldn't quite accomplish everything it wanted to (or tried to).
It's very funny, that's a cert. The performances are wonderful right across the board, and the dialogue's rarely less than excellent. Everyone plays their parts to perfection - it's a wonderful cast, and they're all on top form. It's the director's first feature, as far as i know, an he handles it competently enough, keeping things moving and flashing back and forth between the large cast with a good sense of timing and an instinct for piquing the viewer's interest.
The thing that bugs me is the one aspect of the film that i'd felt certain of before i watched it -- the writing. John Corcoran an excellent writer, but it seems in places that he sells a few characters short (especially when things get frantic towards the end). There were a few storythreads that i felt got a little short-changed in the rush to resolution. Having said that, there were tiny moments studded all through the film that back-handedly evoked genuine emotion. It was skillfully done, and in those small moments you knew you were watching the work of some very talented people, certainly not least of which was the writer. it's definitely a very, very good film, but i think if it had been allowed to end in a just ever-so-slightly messier way, it could have been a great one.
Anyway, i'm nitpicking. if you see it you'll enjoy it.
Oh, and i tried not to let this influence me too much, but I deeply, deeply fancy Ronan Cassidy, so as far as i'm concerned, he's a serious plus point for this flick. I wish she could have used he's real accent in the film...