The Honeymooners

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.

This film (which was shot on video, by the way) is rather low quality. Someone should tell the director spend some money and buy a tripod. As far as I know, EVERY shot was hand held. Some at high magnification. Lots of moving back and forth. So, apart from that dread feeling when you realise within 90 seconds that your money has been wasted, and that do I or don't I walk out of the cinema, what has the film got to offer? Not much. A storyline that could be written by a teenager. The script that well, sucks. Probably penned in a day, maybe an afternoon. The acting, well some of it was OK. But some of it was useless.

When I first realised the quality of this film, I wondered whether it was a form of self-parody. Sort of like a straight-A student intentionally flunking an entry-level exam. And this may be the case, I don't know. But if it isn't, would the director be embarrassed by his creation? probably.

If you've got 90 minutes to kill, and nothing better is on television, give it a go. But please don't actually spend money on this film. It makes me sad that I could have fed a 3rd world person for a week for the money that it cost me to go.

What a treat! Saw this at the London Film Festival and laugh-out-loud loved it. Shot in under three weeks on a budget too low to be called shoestring, first time writer-director Karl Golden had previously only two short films on his imdb CV but has fashioned here a warm and witty romantic comedy that was enthusiastically applauded by the festival audience.

Essentially the story is another variation on the well-used rom-com staple of two people with apparently nothing in common finding themselves together in trying circumstances and gradually falling for each other. Nothing terribly groundbreaking there, but Golden's inventive, clever script provides a funny, entertaining and enjoyable journey even if the destination is no surprise.

To this viewer, The Honeymooners is an object lesson to those who pour millions into making glossy but strictly one-star pap. What really counts is a great script featuring believable and identifiable characters, and a talented cast to bring them to life.

"The Honeymooners" is a romantic comedy with a real story. So many romantic comedies are just slushy. This one has grit and realistic events to laugh at. The characters go through the classic up and downs in a fast developing relationship. They're real, genuine and compelling. It is though, a comedy. It deliberately has moments of disbelief, but those moments are all part of two people finding each other, their commonalities and the things they can share joy in. Than there is the beautiful settings. What a place to honeymoon. This is one of the most gorgeous coasts you will ever see. Rolling pastures leading to beaches that are a total delight.

This film is fun and meaningful, momentarily hysterical and from time to time introspective...just like a real relationship.

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 =)