I love Irish films. Love em. One thing that makes them unique in my opinion is their ability to make you laugh while kicking you in the balls. All my favourites have done it. My Left Foot, Intermission, Saltwater, Inside I'm Dancing, The Butcher Boy, Song Of The Sea, Adam & Paul and so on. The best of them will batter your heart while tickling the soles of your feet.
The Drummer And The Keeper is the latest in a long line of great Irish films that does just that.
It's a life affirming but at times quietly devastating look at the effects of mental illness on people and those around them.
Gabriel is a young man with a bipolar disorder and Christopher is a teenager with Asperger's syndrome. Physician ordered exercise at part of their treatment brings them together and they slowly develop a friendship that blossoms when they realise the missing parts of themselves fit together with the other. But life has a way of being horrible at times.
I really really liked this. It was a wonderful film. It's full of warmth and heart. It made me laugh out loud in places and gave me a lump in my throat in others. It's beautifully acted by the leads and well written so they we really care about the characters and the tough journeys they face. It's shows us the challenges of living with mental illness and of caring for people with mental illness and does it with a lovely light touch that is neither preachy or cold. Kudos to director Nick Kelly for that. He does a great job with this. It's heavy going in places but never revels in the misery of it all. And the funnier sides of the film come from the characters. We laugh with them and not at them. Nothing is ever made light of. All this in 94 minutes too. It's not padded but never feels rushed. That's always good.
The cast were great. The leads are played by Dermot Murphy as Gabriel and Jacob McCarthy as Christopher. Both bring something special to their roles. Murphy reminded me of a young Philo, all big hair and long limbs and it's superb watching his initial hard shell crack open to reveal just how fragile he really is. McCarthy though was magic as a teenager slowly warming to the new world he is introduced to during his new friendship. He's the heart of the film and it's funny bone too. His inability to be nothing less than straight talking gives us some hilarious moments. It's quite stunning that this is his film debut. Annie Ryan brings warmth as well in her role of Dr Flahavan, Gabriel's counsellor. In another film her character might have been cold and clinical but here you really get the sense she cares for her charge. Aoibhinn McGinnity as Gabriel's sister has only a few scenes but makes the most of them as someone who's has been hurt and betrayed one times too many by her brother, pain and concern is clear on her face. Peter Coonan and Charlie Kelly round out the cast as two friends of Gabriel. Coonan plays an awkward character well in a part a million miles away from his role as Fran in Love/Hate and Charlie Kelly ( who was so good in TV3's Smalltown) does great as a initially sound chap who quickly shows his shitty side.
The only downside I can think of was, and maybe this is just me being fussy, but I found the ending to be a little bit too fairytale and abrupt in places. A couple of things kind of happen out of nowhere. One especially was a bit jarring. You'll know it when you see it. They don't ruin any of the goodness that came beforehand though.
I have no idea if the depictions of mental illness or developmental disorders shown here are realistic or not. Some people might take offence at some moments or find it all a bit simplified. I can only judge the film on it's merits and I really liked it. It moved me. It choked me up and made me smile. I think it's really worth going to see. I think people will enjoy it a lot. Plus as always it feels great to support Irish films in the cinema.
One last thing. It reminded me of just how great Lego can be. Next time I'm home I'm digging out my old collection.
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