Mayo man’s score praised at Sundance

Claremorris native Patrick Cassidy’s score for John Michael McDonagh’s new film Calvary received high praise from both The Hollywood Reporter and Variety after it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in Colorado. Calvary, is a black comedy drama, set in Easkey, Sligo, starring Brendan Gleeson, Chris O’Dowd, Aiden Gillen, Pat Short and Kelly Reilly. The film is McDonagh’s follow up to his hit The Guard. “The commendations received here at Sundance is indeed encouraging and it looks like Calvary is going to be a great success, backed up by the fact that Fox Search Light Pictures has bought the broadcast rights for the US and selected countries,” said Cassidy. The Hollywood Reporter said: “This is a film of rich layers – glorious comedic highs are interwoven with meditative moments and flashes of startling hostility and violence. The underlying solemnity is channelled in Patrick Cassidy’s soulful, quasi-sacred score.” While Variety said the movie is “A completely sincere work, this literate, beautifully crafted picture should translate near-certain critical plaudits into a distinguished art-house reception world-wide, Patrick Cassidy's melancholy score is summoned at just the right moments.” Cassidy has previously provided music to the soundtrack of films such as Hannibal, Kingdom of Heaven, King Arthur and Veronica Guerin.