THERE ARE some great Irish films on Netflix which are well worth watching, but they do not always pop up on the services home page that often.
Handsome Devil: Set in an expensive Dublin boarding school, the film follows Ned, who is not interested in rugby and is struggling with his sexual identity. He befriends a new student who is a confident jock and is going through similar struggles. This is a fun coming of age drama, but maybe lacks a bit of bite. I think of Netflix’s excellent Sex Education, how punchy that show is, and Handsome Devil could have been a bit more ambitious with some of the more adult themes. That said, it is very funny and features a great lead performance from Fionn O’Shea who was excellent as the abusive boyfriend in Normal People.
Micheal Inside: I do enjoy are prison films, and this is one of the better ones. Micheal is a young Dubliner who gets a short sentence for holding drugs. Already inside is his father, leaving his grandfather outside dealing with losing his son and grandson to the prison system. This is more of a Ken Loach style kitchen sink drama, and really powerfully acted.
Calm With Horses: I keep harping on about this movie, it was unfortunately robbed of a decent theatrical run last year when the cinemas were closed. It is a simple enough gangster movie plot but the two man performances from Barry Keoghan and Cosmo Jarvis are just spectacular. Really well directed by Nick Rowland with a car chase that is as good as any Hollywood film. Interesting fact, it was mostly shot in Galway.
Extra Ordinary: This was the hardest ticket to get at the Galway Film Fleadh two years ago. It is a really fun little horror comedy. Rose Dooley is a driving instructor who also has some small magic abilities, she hides them and lives a simple life. Really great cast lead by Meave Higgins and Will Forte, along with a heap of great talent.
