I was in the mood for Irish music and happened to walk buy this film and so I took it. This movie has some wonderful folksy Irish music in between a story about estranged brothers and mistakes made by people in the past.

Jimmy, played by Colm Meaney (Con Air) is an Irishman who lives in Liverpool, England and puts together an Irish Band to take back home and compete for the All Irish Music Championship. Jimmy's brother, who stayed home in Ireland, John Joe, played by Bernard Hill (Wimbledon,) is the two time defending champion with his band and is quite sure that he will win again, because of his star fiddle player, Anne, played by Andrea Corr (The Commitments,) who has a special relationship with both Jimmy and John Joe, even though she doesn't know what it is.

Since I was looking for Irish music I was quite pleased with what I found. It is what I would consider traditional Irish music. But the key in this movie is that the music is what holds these estranged brothers and daughter together. The brothers who are angry with each other, Jimmy mad at John Joe for not coming with him and John Joe mad at Jimmy for leaving. Anne is also upset at her mother, Maisie, played by Charlotte Bradley (Moll Flanders,) for not giving her any freedom and not knowing why. However, despite all of this angst, music is what keeps them together. I found that very nice and almost spiritual in a way that something that is not physical, that can be touched, can keep people together.

I really enjoyed Bernard Hill in this film. He portrayed that sensible older figure that would have nothing to show for life if it wasn't for music. He is almost a tragic figure in that way. Hill does fine work in showing the hidden pain behind the man that is able to use music to hide the fact that his brothers have moved on and he is still there holding down the farm. Colm Meaney was a little over the top as the young brother eho left, but i thought he was convincing in the despair and sadness he had in leaving Ireland, and Maisie in particular, the way he did.

Beyond the music, the story itself is very routine. Jimmy before he left as a kid got Maisie pregnant with Anne, and instead of taking care of them, went to England to make his money. Maisie, hurt by this, has kept a very tight leash on her daughter creating the normal angst between a mother and daughter, especially since Maisie did not tell Anne who her father was until they finally met. This part of the story did not do anything to separate itself from other films with the same basic premise. Another thing that disappointed me was that Andrea Corr did not sing in the film and I one reason why I wanted to rent this is so I could hear her Angelic voice. But that was something I hoped for so I won't hold it against the movie too much.

I am once again confused by choice of directors for this film. John Irvin, who did an ok job with this film, has a resume that includes, Next of Kin, Hamburger Hill, and Raw Deal, all of them action movies of the 80's. So why have him direct a picture about relationships held together by music? I think that could be part of the reason why the story about those relationships does not go anywhere above the norm. To his credit, I have not seen any of the films he did since those 80's movies so he may be better than Raw Deal, my next to last least favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger movie.

The movie itself is entertaining but could have been better. I suggest you see watch if you like Irish music or drama in general. However, I don't know if it will ever make my collection.

Brian - the Naked Gun