As a follow up to 2006's critically acclaimed Small Engine Repair, Irish director Niall Heery brings us Gold, an offbeat comedy that expertly straddles the fine line between the humourous and tragic.
Our story kicks off when Ray (David Wilmot) returns to his home town, after years dealing with depression. Wanting to reconnect with his wife Alice (Kerry Condon), who has moved on from Ray with his former PE teacher Frank (James Nesbitt), and teenage daughter Abbie (Maisie Williams), he inserts himself into their new life, setting in motion a chain of events that will have huge consequences for them all.
It's a simple story, from a script written by Heery and his brother Brendan, but one that is brought to life with a massive amount of charm, and is both heart warming and heart breaking at the same time. It's shot through with a veneer you would more associate with American indie films, with some shot compositions just screaming Wes Anderson. But Heery makes it is own, turning in an absolutely beautiful looking movie, that, even though a tick melancholy cloud hangs over it, never fails to make you smile. The story moves at it's own pace, but never once loses your attention, and it weaves in the humour and tragedy in a way that feels totally organic.
Much of what makes Gold work so well is down to an absolutely fantastic cast, with Wilmot quickly becoming the star of the show, imbuing Ray with an immense likabilty, even though he is a bit of a dolt and, unwittingly, his own worst enemy for much of the movie. His dealings with depression and suicide are handled with a deft and respectful touch, and the movie never becomes too bogged with these details, more concerned with Ray putting his life back together. He has a wonderful spark with all of his co-stars, especially Williams. A million miles away from her most famous role, Ayra Stark from Game of Thrones, she imbues Abbie with a believable teenage swagger, all misguided fury and indifference, and how she deals with the man who was missing for twelve years is refreshingly realistic. Nesbitt completely owns the role of the self important Frank McGunn, railing against Ray the minute he appears on his door step, and watching him deal with his ordered world crumbling around him is a delight. Also, he delivers what has to be his greatest piece of the comedy to date with the wonderfully awful training video (complete with lo-fi special effects), The Way of the McGunn, that is peppered throughout the movie and won't fail to make you howl with laughter.
Gold is a fantastic piece of cinema, plain and simple. Told through with a style all its own, it makes wonderful use of the perfect cast, delivering a movie that demands to be watched.
Our story kicks off when Ray (David Wilmot) returns to his home town, after years dealing with depression. Wanting to reconnect with his wife Alice (Kerry Condon), who has moved on from Ray with his former PE teacher Frank (James Nesbitt), and teenage daughter Abbie (Maisie Williams), he inserts himself into their new life, setting in motion a chain of events that will have huge consequences for them all.
It's a simple story, from a script written by Heery and his brother Brendan, but one that is brought to life with a massive amount of charm, and is both heart warming and heart breaking at the same time. It's shot through with a veneer you would more associate with American indie films, with some shot compositions just screaming Wes Anderson. But Heery makes it is own, turning in an absolutely beautiful looking movie, that, even though a tick melancholy cloud hangs over it, never fails to make you smile. The story moves at it's own pace, but never once loses your attention, and it weaves in the humour and tragedy in a way that feels totally organic.
Much of what makes Gold work so well is down to an absolutely fantastic cast, with Wilmot quickly becoming the star of the show, imbuing Ray with an immense likabilty, even though he is a bit of a dolt and, unwittingly, his own worst enemy for much of the movie. His dealings with depression and suicide are handled with a deft and respectful touch, and the movie never becomes too bogged with these details, more concerned with Ray putting his life back together. He has a wonderful spark with all of his co-stars, especially Williams. A million miles away from her most famous role, Ayra Stark from Game of Thrones, she imbues Abbie with a believable teenage swagger, all misguided fury and indifference, and how she deals with the man who was missing for twelve years is refreshingly realistic. Nesbitt completely owns the role of the self important Frank McGunn, railing against Ray the minute he appears on his door step, and watching him deal with his ordered world crumbling around him is a delight. Also, he delivers what has to be his greatest piece of the comedy to date with the wonderfully awful training video (complete with lo-fi special effects), The Way of the McGunn, that is peppered throughout the movie and won't fail to make you howl with laughter.
Gold is a fantastic piece of cinema, plain and simple. Told through with a style all its own, it makes wonderful use of the perfect cast, delivering a movie that demands to be watched.
