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Garage [2007]
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Astonishing Movie
Review date: 2008-08-07 Rating: 2 out of 10
I watched this movie on the back of the great reviews it received in the UK. Being Irish and having an unhealthy interest in movies i felt the urge to see an Irish movie that is being awarded top reviews. Director Lenny Abrahamson, whose debut film Adam & Paul painted a dull authentic portrait of two Dublin junkies; Adam & Paul was minimalist enough to make Samuel Beckett look indulgent. Garage is even more minimalist. But where there is genius in Beckett, there is no genius here in 'Garage'.
Using lengthy, static takes, natural light and silence, and even more silence, the Director presents us with the dim-wit Josie as a modern-day rainman, Dustin Hoffman with an Irish accent. I will not go into the plot, as i feel i do not want to waste anymore of my time on this poor low-budget movie.
Nothing really happens in this 90 minute snoozefest apart from Josie being bullied by the locals as he has no friends. He also gets to dance with a drunken girl in a pub; he goes drinking with teenagers who mock him, and there is some humour as we snigger at Josie's pathetic attempts at tidying rubbish (collecting a bunch of empty lager cans from a path, for example, only to throw them blithely into the weeds) or his fumbling attempts at getting excited with a blue movie.
Towards the end of the movie things turn deadly seriousy when an innocent misunderstanding sees Josie accused as a potential child abuser after an incident with the blue movie. Such a major tonal shift does not work well as it was all slow burning comedy up until this point. Here, it comes out of nowhere, straining credibility to breaking point and loading the story with more maudlin pathos than it can reasonably be expected to bear.
For the most part, though, Garage is a low-key low-budget affair that contains an excellent performance from Pat Shortt. However this movie was a short movie streched into 90 minutes of boredom. This mawkish and heavy-handed amateur effort was a waste of my time and this garage is not worth pulling into.
Dr Bee Clarke. 2/10
PS. If you are interested in watching a movie about a loner who has a menial job and is mocked by locals watch Station Agent. Unlike Garage it has a story, character development and its good.
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Reviews
Superb film that stays with one for a long time
Review date: 2008-07-07 Rating: 10 out of 10
Being from Ireland, I had heard alot about this film 4 or 5 months ago when it cleaned up at the IFTA's (Irish Film and Television Awards) so I was looking forward to seeing this and how one of Ireland's top comedians (Pat Shortt who plays Josie) fitted into the big screen in a serious role.
Without giving too much of the plot away, it is set in deep rural Ireland where Josie (a very simple but kind hearted man) works in a quiet filling station and takes pride in his job so much that he bases his whole life around it. Josie - a man who one knows wouldn't hurt a fly - is the subject of much ridicule in the village's pub and he is easily taken advantage of. When a new apprentice starts working with Josie (15yr old David), the two strike up a good friendship ...... mainly due to Josie's below average intelligence and child-like characteristics. But things take an unexpected turn 30 mins from the end as Josie makes a simple but serious mistake that determines the rest of his life.
As I am from rural Ireland, I immediately associated with the small Irish village and all the main characters in the film as I know people in my own life just like them . This film then may seem 'foreign' and highly fictious to people from cities or urban areas in the UK or Ireland but for me it was a film that stayed with me for a long time due to its' heartbreaking ending. Highly recommended.
unfliching
Review date: 2008-04-01 Rating: 10 out of 10
This film is absolutely incredible. It captures the feel of small lives in a small Irish town to perfection. I've never seen a better performance in an Irish film than Pat Shortt's heart-breaking performance here.
My personal test of a good film is how long it stays in the memory. I've been thinking about this film alot since I watched in last weekend. Dont miss it.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Andrew Bennett
Tom Hickey
Anne-Marie Duff
George Costigan
Pat Shortt
Creators:
Pat Shortt (Primary Contributor)
Anne-Marie Duff (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Soda Pop
Manufacturer: Soda Pop
EAN: 5060103791170
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2008-06-30
Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 81 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2007
Language: English (Original Language)