This is one of those little gems that remind you what enjoying a romantic story is all about, at the simplest level - no stars, no special effects, no more silliness and twists than tolerable and most of all no soppy rhetoric of broken hearts followed by happily ever after. Yes, hearts are broken and happiness finally reconquered but it's all underscored with such a tongue in cheek light touch that it just makes it more credible, even more so, ironically, because of its declared self-referentiality and meta-cinematic approach - in the quotes and references to classics scattered throughout, the tribute opening and ending scenes (along with the hilarious closing titles sequence - "this character was purely fictional and stopped existing after the movie").
The whole movie is like suspended in this old-fashioned dream of a love story that's too quirky and cute to be true, yet it manages to be somehow realistic, especially by offering a lot of views of Dublin city and often humorous references to contemporary events or popular culture - the spoofs of the TV news with the police advising young men to stay home for safety ("there's a good film with Clint Eastwood on the telly") being most notable, along with the school headmaster's secret punk passion.
It's both drawing on those timeless stories that made cinema history (the plot having more than one obvious reference to A Bout De Soufflé) and playing on modern stereotypes about relationships. The game of diffidence and seduction between the sexes is amusingly explored, with the sexy, extrovert, volcanic and unpredictable female protagonist overwhelming the male protagonist with her charm, turning him from a shy creature of habit into a more daring, vital character. It may have all been seen before, but that's precisely (one of) the points of this movie.
It's a light-hearted tribute to cinema in the first place, and a truly enjoyable breezy comedy, smart and simple at the same time. The Roddy Doyle touch does show - that feel-good factor balanced with genuine wit and humour. The cast is really good, also in the secondary roles. It's not the most amazing romance (or comedy) ever filmed and it's not the best Doyle can do - but it's genuinely fun, and enchanting, and sexy. What more can you ask from a real romantic comedy?
The whole movie is like suspended in this old-fashioned dream of a love story that's too quirky and cute to be true, yet it manages to be somehow realistic, especially by offering a lot of views of Dublin city and often humorous references to contemporary events or popular culture - the spoofs of the TV news with the police advising young men to stay home for safety ("there's a good film with Clint Eastwood on the telly") being most notable, along with the school headmaster's secret punk passion.
It's both drawing on those timeless stories that made cinema history (the plot having more than one obvious reference to A Bout De Soufflé) and playing on modern stereotypes about relationships. The game of diffidence and seduction between the sexes is amusingly explored, with the sexy, extrovert, volcanic and unpredictable female protagonist overwhelming the male protagonist with her charm, turning him from a shy creature of habit into a more daring, vital character. It may have all been seen before, but that's precisely (one of) the points of this movie.
It's a light-hearted tribute to cinema in the first place, and a truly enjoyable breezy comedy, smart and simple at the same time. The Roddy Doyle touch does show - that feel-good factor balanced with genuine wit and humour. The cast is really good, also in the secondary roles. It's not the most amazing romance (or comedy) ever filmed and it's not the best Doyle can do - but it's genuinely fun, and enchanting, and sexy. What more can you ask from a real romantic comedy?