The Honeymooners

I was curious to see this (partly because I'm a bit of an Alex Reid fan and partly because I want to see what a feature on a low budget would be like to experience) I brought the DVD without carrying huge expectations but when I saw it, I was pleasantly surprised. The two main characters seem real because initially they are fairly unlikable (Initially, David's a miserable git and Claire's a bit of a cow) but I kind of warmed to them as I got to know them more while the story progressed.

For me it was a breath of fresh air from usual glossy Hollywood rom-coms because it was believable and had this great sense of charm when matching it with the Donegal countryside (the part where they swim together in the sea being a fantastic scene). It made my Dad want to go back to visit Northern Ireland but I digress! Give it a chance, you might just agree with me!

I agree with the reviewer who pointed out that this is a drama movie, not a comedy. The DVD cover and the taglines give the impression of a wacky comedy. It's not. It doesn't try to be. "A comedy about how not to fall in love"? No idea what they meant by that. I guess the movie makers and the marketing people just had different visions.

The movie is a drama about two people who have both just faced a disappointment in their respective relationships. I found the behaviour of the leads natural and believable seeing what they've just been through. Don't expect much adventure. It's mostly just the two leads hanging around at the country house and its surroundings. Not bad, not depressing, just a down to earth story that could happen in real life. I may even watch it again one day.

To be honest, I was expecting a bit more laughter from this film as it was marketed as a comedy. In the end, this was a decent drama movie that did offer some laughs as well.

The shaky camera made the film resemble modern day's reality TV-shows, but after the initial shock wore off, it actually suited the plot.

The idea about the movie was rather good. Somehow the film started to remind me of films directed by Kaurismäki. Lots of awkward silence between the main characters. Perhaps Finnish and Irish folks have more in common than just the love for beer / other alcoholic beverages =)

Alex Raid who played the role of Claire had probably the stronger performance in the movie. Jonathan Byrne did perform some fine acting, but perhaps due to the screenplay - at times seemed at loss with his role. He seemed to play the "strong, silent type" that Tony Soprano preaches about in the Sopranos. Minus the strong =)

I really enjoyed this movie. It kept me interested throughout and I liked the two leads especially Alex, really nice. I'm sure we'll see more of her in the future. I also liked the use of facial expressions and body language in some scenes instead of dialogue, it added to the atmosphere and told me more about the characters. Some good characters in the Donegal scenes which were very funny. I am grateful to the Sunday Times for this freebie as I had heard about the movie and of course it would never feature in a local cinema. By the way there are lots of big budget movies with plenty of $ and hype that don't come near this little gem despite the shaky camera-work.

Aidan

when was the last time u sat thro a hollywood rom com with a few big names and realised u had seen all the best bits when u saw the trailer a week ago. boring isn't it.

this is a romantic comedy, it will be no shock to get a happy ending, the whole point is how u get there....and how much u care.

and i cared, after the initial shock of the wobbly camera and documentary feel u settle in to the story of 2 people having a very bad day and in the end u are rooting for them to get together.

irish film making cant afford mega buck stars and cgi effects. this movie proves u dont need them when u have talent and a beautiful location. well done.