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Intermission 2003 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by John Crowley
R, 105 min. (pervasive language, sexual content, violence) |
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Starring: Colin Farrell, Shirley Henderson, Colm Meaney, Cillian Murphy, Kelly Macdonald, David Wilmot, Michael McElhatton
Producers: Stephen Woolley, Neil Jordan, Alan Moloney
Screenplay: Mark O'Rowe
Cinematography: Ryszard Lenczewski
Distributor: IFC Films
Released: 3.19.04 (Limited) |
Rating:
  (out of ) |
Director John Crowley's quirky, wildly unpredictable Intermission is a tonic for many mainstream films today;
a cascade of various characters that intersect with sometimes volatile results. Largely a dark comedy with several
competing themes, the film explores people who deal with life's hardships and a seedy underworld with both abandon and
caution. Set in Dublin, Crowley studies the lives of those who, for lack of a better explanation, simply fail to communicate
with each other. This breakdown has far-reaching effects; crime and angst ensue, leaving reconciliation the only means
by which to find catharsis. The film uses the now popular Pulp Fiction or Magnolia plot structure, visiting various storylines
until they finally converge and make their relation to one another known. It plays on the edges for so long we're not sure
it can hold together, yet in the end makes the journey worthwhile.
The large ensemble cast, headlined by Colin Farrell, spins a web of exquisite design, even though at times difficult to
follow. Farrell plays Lehiff, a career criminal looking for his next job. His mates, John (Cillian Murphy) and Oscar (David Wilmot),
work in a supermarket while bemoaning the struggles in their love lives; John's incredulity over his dumping his girlfriend,
the beautiful Deidre (Kelly Macdonald), leads him to try and win her back even though she is now dating a bank manager,
Sam (Michael McElhatton), whose abandoned wife seeks comfort in finding another love, which happens to be Oscar, who
meets her in a older couples club. Meanwhile, Jerry Lynch (Colm Meaney), a rough cop who dreams of being on a reality
TV show, seeks to bring Lehiff to justice. Finally, Sally (Shirley Henderson), shelters herself from finding love after a horrific
incident with her former boyfriend by sporting a mustache that she likens to Burt Reynolds, although secretly she yearns
for someone to see her inner self. The stories interweave through circumstance and coincidence, but Crowley keeps things
straight somehow without losing his bearings.
Brilliantly written by Mark O'Rowe, the film keeps the viewer's interest from start to finish, if for no other reason to see
how backwards each character can become before realizing that all their effort could be better used by simply stating
what they want. Most of the characters that inhabit the screenplay seem lost at sea without a rudder, flailing about in
a desperate attempt to make sense of their predicaments. That Crowley is able to fashion drama, violence, poignancy,
and happenstance with such aplomb is quite impressive for a first-time director. He certainly has a bright future; his scenes
unfold with a randomness that makes it difficult to see the destination until it actually arrives. Yet looking back over the
uncharted course reveals a level of insight that would have seemed impossible along the way. There are so many competing
themes and zany moments here that it's hard to keep track of them all, except for the fact that the viewer will most likely
enjoy every minute of it.
© 2004 Jonathan Cornwell
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 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
| Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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