Displaying items by tag: Colm Meaney

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES

US, 2026, 111 minutes, Colour.

Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Colm Meaney, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Donald Sales, voice of Alfred Molina.

Directed by Olivia Newman.

The remarkably bright creatures in this story are sea creatures, especially an octopus who spent over 1000 days out of the ocean, now in the display in the aquarium. His name is Marcellus, and he is a central character here, telling the story of his life in the voice of Alfred Molina, making comments about the humans and their limitations and the superiority of sea creatures.

While the humans in the story may not be as remarkably bright as the sea creatures, the audience will find themselves identifying more and more with two of them.

At this stage in review, it is probably important to note that this is a film for audiences who enjoy feelings, emotions, not afraid to run the risk of sentimentality. Which means that it is definitely not for audiences who have more serious attitudes towards life and emotions, thatnthey are not really for display, especially in films like this.

This having been noted, Remarkably Bright Creatures will engage most audiences. And there is Sally Field, almost 80, 60 years of top-lining film and television, a widow in a small town on the US north-west coast, keeping busy as she cleans the aquarium, chatting to Marcellus, revealing her sadness, especially in the loss of her son. The other main character is Eric, Lewis Pullman, something of a drifter, with a band, the other members pulling out, his being stranded in the town, no money, helped by the sympathetic storekeeper, Ethan (a genial Colm Meaney) and getting a job to replace Tova at the aquarium.

We observe. Marcellus observes, all this. Eric is not very good and Tova takes him under control cleaning detail. And she has to make decisions, offered a place in an aged care centre, whether to sell her house, urged on by her longtime gossipy friends, but, all the time wondering about the death of her son.

We enjoy the bonding between Tova and Eric, also some stories about Ethan and his devotion to Tova, Tova learning more about her son and his past.

And, for audiences who love sweet endings, and more than a touch of cheerfulness, the ending here they will find one of the best.

1. The title and expectations, tone? And the sea creatures, seen underwater, seen in the tanks, the focus on the octopus, devil eel?
2. The small town setting, on the coast, American north-west, weather, atmosphere? The aquarium, display, the children, behaviour, licking the glass,, leaving the mess? Tovs and the cleaning, so much of the action in this space? Her home, the views, the town itself, shops, the streets, atmosphere? The musical score?
3. Marcellus, the octopus, the voice of Alfred Molina, the commentary, his life story, captured, counting the days, his life coming to an end, his observations about humans, the skills of an octopus, superior, his sympathy for Tova, reaction to Eric, gradual sympathy, intervening? His escapes, Tova rescuing him? Finally, his observations about the friendship, the future, Tova and her rescuing him, returning him to the sea? And the rescue of the next octopus, the background story, the continuity of the display?
4. Tova, Sally Field’s presence, her story, her age, love for her son, the clash, his going out in the boat, the finding of the boat, the speculation that he had committed suicide? Tova and her searching for a reason? Over the decades? And the death of her husband? Living alone, managing, keeping busy at the aquarium, the phone calls, the offer of the room at aged care, her finally agreeing? Her friends, the meeting, all the gossip, their personalities, trying to organise Tova, the lunch, the daughter arriving, Tova asking her for the yearbook, encounter with the couple to buy her house, indication of a name, finding the name? The son and his girlfriend?
5. The decision to sell the house, the agent, pressing the house, the preparation for sale?
6. Eric, driving into town, car failure, not enough money for repairs, the encounter with Ethan, his store, kindly, suggesting the job, going to the aquarium, the discussions with Terry, Tova and her breaking her ankle, needing replacement at work, her criticisms of Eric, the detailed explanation of how to clean? And Marcellus observing?
7. Eric, the band, his ambitions, his absent mother, the flashbacks, no explanation of his father? The phone call, the band members, the pregnancy, pulling out? His surviving in his van? The encounter with Avery, the attraction?
8. Gradually bonding with Tova, her becoming motherly, reprimanding, teaching, encouraging the date, their walking, talking, the effect on him? The outing with Avery, the paddles, the discovery that she had a son, his reaction and moving away?
9. Ethan and his devotion to Tova, setting up the dates, his telling his story and following bands, the awkwardness, spilling and stains? Eric explaining things to Tova?
10. The ups and downs of the relationship, Tova and her moods, the move, the gossip from her friends, concern about her son, Eric fixing the house and her ousting him? His finding the box under the floor, the photo?
11. The significance of the ring, Eric with his father’s ring, the phone call to the suspected father, difficulty tracking him down, eventually meeting him, the fact that the man was gay?
12. The importance of the reading, EEL, Marcellus and his intervention, Tova seeing it, her son’s name, and a realisation for Eric who his father was, for Tova?
13. The future, mother and son, life together…?

BRING THEM DOWN

Ireland/UK, 2024, 106 minutes, Colour.

Christopher Abbott, Barry Keoghan, Colm Meany, Nora-Jane Noone, Paul Ready, Aaron Heffernan, Susan Lynch.

Directed by Christopher Andrews.

Feuds often grim and violent. Family feuds fester. And, especially on the evidence of Bring Them Down, Irish feuds can be merciless – but also elements of forgiveness.

And, with feuds, there are always two points of view, at least. And this is what happens during this film, audiences needing to pay attention to see the transitions from one perspective of the savage events to another.

In fact, the opening scene is set 20 years earlier, Michael, a sheep farmer (an intense performance by American Christopher Abbott Irish accent and all) wildly driving his car, his girlfriend, Caroline, a passenger in the back, but his mother in the front, telling him that she is about to leave his father, more speed, a crash, Caroline’s face cut, his mother dead. A grim prologue for what will follow.

In the present day, Michael is still living with his old cantankerous father, Ray (a familiar role for actor Colm Meany). Michael is unmarried, looks after the sheep, Caroline having married his neighbour, Gary, and they have a son, Jack. But, times are difficult, finance hard. Gary is prepared to let his sheep go and develop some of his land building homes.

Jack is played by Barry Keoghen now coming into greater prominence with films like Banshees of Innisherin  and Saltburn.

At the centre of the feud is the disappearance of the two rams owned by Michael. They are reported to be dead. Then they appear at the market. Jack is involved, clashes between Michael and Gary.

Which brings us to the title. Is it that each side of the feud wants to bring the other down? Certainly. But, with the huge centring on the rams, then on the sheep flock, Jack and his cousin brutally cutting the legs off of Michael’s shee, Michael bringing the sheep down from the hills and having to destroy them in their suffering.

This is where the screenplay challenges the audience, telling the story from Michael’s perspective and judgements, then recounting the same events from Jack’s point of view. And, Ray, influencing Michael to be more vengeful.

There has been a long hardness in the Irish experience over the centuries, Irish oppressed, religious persecutions, famines, migrations, tough attitudes for survival. And this is a buildup in a final confrontation between Michael and Jack. But, we realise that under the hardness, there is some humanity, some tenderness. And the film ends with both, some more hope rather than anger.

1. The title, with reference to the sheep, sheep farmers?
2. Locations and atmosphere, the mountains, hills, the sheep in the countryside, homes and interiors, sheds? The musical score and atmosphere?
3. The prologue, the drive, Michael driving, not seen, Caroline in the back anxious, his mother, in the front, watching him, the plea to slow down, her leaving her husband, increasing the speed, the crash, Caroline and her face slashed, his mother dead?
4. 20 years later, Michael, with the sheep, taciturn, looking after his father, the difficult relationship, his father not knowing his wife had left, cranky, needing care? Michael and the sheep? The relationship with Caroline, her marrying Gary, Jack as her son?
5. The phone call, the rams dead, Michael going to the market, seeing the rams, the confrontation with Gary and Jack, the bystanders and support? The vehicles chase on the way back, Gary and Jack crashing, Michael giving Jack the lift?
6. The story of bringing the sheep down? The two versions? Michael’s version, Jack’s version? Michael, searching for the sheep, the legs cut, his carrying the ramps? Upset, with his father? The vengeance, Gary and his buildings, going to the site, struggle with the builder, his ear shot, killing the builder, removing his head, his father’s request for a head, in the bag? His later realisation that he had the wrong head?
7. Jack’s solution, with his cousin Aaron, the plan, the destroying of the sheep, the legs? Jack and his reaction, the confrontation with Aaron, not wanting to see him again? The blood, his mother, returning home, with his father?
8. Michael, with his father, his father’s collapse, Caroline and helping? Her tending Michael’s ear?
9. Jack, the realisation, running away, Michael pursuing him up the mountain, the Bluecoat decoy, gestating Michael, the fight, Michael stabbing Jack, carrying him down, giving to his mother, Caroline with the rifle?
10. The end, Michael wounded, going back to the house – and audience speculation about the future?

mubi release, January 2026

THE PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE

Ireland, 2024, 102 minutes, Colour.

Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Lucianne McAvoy, Jane Levy, Des Keogh, Niall Buggy, Michael Mullen.

Directed by Chris Cottam.

An evocative title – especially in relationship to the Irish, two Americans, and you hate-love traditional relationships!

The setting is a village in Ireland, 2022 (though with the photo of Pope John Paul II on the wall rather than the two succeeding popes!). An old man is ill, dying, remembers the story of his grandfather and granduncle and their falling out, one staying in Ireland, the other going to the United States and prospering. His desire is that the feud end before he dies. He advises his son, growing older, managing the funeral parlour business, to phone the cousin in America and invite him to Ireland.

The son is played by Colm Meaney, veteran of many Irish and International dramas and comedies. The American is played by Paul Reiser who co-wrote the screenplay and produced the film. At first, everything is friendly and engaging. However, the old man has left a will which divides the property between the two cousins, leading to all kinds of complications and feuds, one upping ship, touches of vengeance!

However, all is finally reconciled, not without some comic touches and various glimpses of life in the village, the older men, the gossipy manager of the hotel, the American’s daughter, the Irishman is ex-wife, and, in Catholic Ireland, the priest at the funeral – young, biretta and mpoustache, his sermon, touching on the situation, but his appearance more like an Irish comedy, and a Father Ted or something similar!

There is a surprise ending with the same-sex marriage, officiated over by the Garda official, but with the priest amongst the congregation.

But, after all the feuding, peace and a happy ending.

1. Title, Ciaran and Barry and their interactions? Island in the US…? Human nature?
2. The Irish setting, the countryside, the village, homes, funeral parlour, the pub? The American settings, offices, homes? The musical score, the Irish town?
3. The history of Ireland and the United States, the 19^th century, the potato famine, the migrations, the 20^th century, the Irish looked down on, making their way? Austria Ireland, family differences, feuds? Lingering on?
4. Focus, his age, health, memories of his grandfather, his granduncle, their feud? The photos? The visual style of the flashback narrative of the relationship between the brothers, island, sailing to America, in America? His desire for reconciliation before he died?
5. Ciaran, his age, the divorce, later revelation of his marriage to Fiona? At home with his father, the funeral parlour? His status in the town, friends? His father’s explanation about the feud, the demand to contact Barry, the phone call, the conversation, Barry ringing back, his coming? At the airport, meeting, at the hotel, at the pub, meeting all the friends, the father telling the story, the toast? The happy reconciliation?
6. Barry, US, is this man, the phone calls, relations with his daughter, her baby? The impact of the phone call, his decision to go? His daughter’s urging? The flight, arrival, lonely, meeting Ciaran, the hotel, the gossipy manager, and a propensity for giving him towels, his room, going to the pub, the drinks, the singing, friendly, focused telling the story?
7. The bond, the friendship, the people of the town, young and old, characters? Fiona? The black character and his work at the funeral parlour, never having met an American before Barry?
8. Fergus and his death, the reactions? Grief? Barry and his elaborate sobbing at the funeral, Ciaran’s reaction? The discovery of the will? At the cemetery, the awkward homily of the priest, his appearance, moustache and beretta, young? Ciaran’s behaviour, Fiona challenging him, his apology?
9. Seamus, the Will, division of the property, the effect on Ciaran, the effect on Barry? Fiona and her intervention, urging Ciaran at the funeral to tell Barry the truth? Ciaran and his anger?
10. The to-ing and fro-ing of the love-hate relationship, one upping ship, letting Ciaran have the house, then bringing in the builders to block the view, the wall? Incident with the sheep? The intervention of the police, arresting Barry, in jail, the interventions and Barry winning with the police? The incident with Fiona, the revelation that she was Ciaran’s wife?
11. Barry and his daughter arriving, is exercises, urinary trouble, collapse? Ciaran and his collapse? In the hospital together, the curtain on the view, the compromise?
12. The daughter arriving, seen Fiona, instant falling in love?
13. Out of hospital, friendship restored, Fiona and the daughter and the wedding, the guard officer officiating, everybody present, Ireland and same-sex marriages, civil ceremony, the priest and his presence?
14. An Irish comedy, an American writer, and 21^st-century Irish humour?