Film Review - Parked (2011)

‘In a second your life could change’

These are the words uttered by Fred (Colm Meaney) midway through Darragh Byrne’s debut feature film, Parked. Fred has come back to Ireland after an unspecified period living in England. Presumably because he has been living out of Ireland for sometime he is not entitled to money or housing by the state. This leads to him living in his car in a deserted car park on the coast of Dublin. That is, at least, deserted until a ‘neighbour’ in another car moves in called Cathal (Colin Morgan): a dope smoking young guy with a more relaxed attitude to life. Before long they become friends and this changes both their lives.

To bastardise a football cliché, this is a film of two halves. The first half of the film is by far the best. We are fed slivers of information about Fred’s past. There is a hint of alcoholism here with possible disastrous ramifications for his family situation. This informs the character greatly, with Meaney’s haunted eyes conveying a past full of regret and a reluctance to confront a lonely future. Cathal has troubles of his own; such as a drug habit that looks set to land him in trouble. He shrugs of Fred’s warnings on the subject with the classic ‘sure it will be grand’ gesture he has.

As good as the melancholic beginning is, there is a sense of a missed opportunity here. Fred’s background is ripe for more investigation, perhaps to touch upon the generation of men of Fred’s age who emigrated to England and who have fallen on hard times. There is also a problem in introducing Cathal as a drug addict. This leads to the worry that comes in certain films once you introduce a drug addict in a film there are clichés to be run through. Sadly this is the case. There is also the introduction of a love interest for Fred in the shape of Jules (Milka Ahlroth), a Finnish music teacher. This again would lead you to believe that there will be a ‘will they, wont they’ scenario throughout the rest of the film which also is the case.

And yet, there are good things here. There are some funny moments in this film, one in particular involving a postal address. The casting is very good with Meaney doing his usual great job. One suspects that if he had been let off the leash a little more this could have been an incredible turn. Fred is a buttoned up character, quiet and introspective. The one thing this would lead you to believe is that there must be a scene where he explodes and/or breaks down. This I would love to have seen but alas, it is not to be. In fact Colin Morgan is the real star here: terrific and warm in a clichéd and straitjacketed role. There should be more to come from him. Milka Ahlroth does OK with a thinly drawn role of the love interest. The film is also nicely shot in what looks like one of the coldest winters in recent times. The blues of the sky and sea echo the cold and loneliness of the situation. This also amplifies the sheer horror of homelessness in general in our society and the casual indifference of our Government on the issue.

The last act of the film will, depending on your viewpoint, either move you or annoy you with its predictability. There will be people who will disagree with me here but the potential for a moving denouement is ruined by the utter bog standard plotting of the outcome. This is signposted from a long way out and it is a real pity as there is a small scene right at the end that works wonderfully. But it is too late as it follows scenes that have already taken you out the story in an emotional way. Parked is ultimately an interesting but frustratingly predictable and uneven film. It will be interesting to see what the director Darragh Byrne will do next as he has a good eye for a scene and armed with a better script may well produce a great film. Unfortunately Parked is not that film.

The Irish Film Interview: Mark O'Connor

Director Mark O’Connor first came to prominence with Between the Canals in 2011, a raw and low budget crime drama set in Dublin’s less salubrious streets. It was a promising beginning for a new filmmaker and this year he premiered not one but two films at the Galway Film Fleadh, Stalker and King of the Travellers. This is in almost unheard of territory as funding for films in Ireland continues to decrease. But it was not for this fact that his name came up in the newspapers at the Fleadh. He also unveiled his Manifesto for Irish film where he talked about Ireland’s new wave of films. There has been a positive and negative reaction to the Manifesto, which was also published in Film Ireland magazine. I thought it would of interest to hear from O’Connor to hear his thoughts on Ireland’s film output in the past, present and future. This interview was conducted by email as Mark O’Connor is currently in Peru writing.

How would you describe the current state of the Irish film industry?

There´s a revolution taking place in Irish film right now.

Tell me in a bit more detail about the idea behind the manifesto for Irish film that you have written? Do you see it as something resembling the Dogme 95 movement in Denmark or as something to start a discussion on Irish film as a whole?

It wasn´t meant to resemble Dogme 95 or to be just a declaration. It was written for the industry with the hope of bringing recognition to the new wave. I would hope this helps in terms of more quality films being made, higher audiences figures for Irish films and more support at distribution stage for Irish films.  There´s a lot of different things in there including a call to arms but it´s really just my opinion which some people will disagree with. It is good to hear negative and positive reactions to it but it´s also frustrating when it gets misunderstood. People have picked me up wrong on a few points. One thing I want to make clear which I didn´t in the Manifesto because I only had three days to write it was that I don´t believe the director needs to also be the writer. I believe the director; if he is an artist of integrity will reinterpret it into their own vision. This means understanding the characters and story as much as the writer. If I was an actor why would I ask a director advice about my character if he hasn´t been to those same places the writer has been to. Instead I would ask the writer.

In some ways I think the idea of the manifesto leads into what I think is the most important question facing the Irish film industry at the moment: Why do you think there is so little enthusiasm for Irish film at the Irish box office?

Irish films are being passed up at the cinemas for Hollywood infant formula because the multiplexes don´t want to take a risk with a small Irish film which has no marketing campaign behind it. You eat what is on your plate and we´re consistently being fed MacDonald´s film and music. This needs to be tackled and the manifesto is partly written for this reason. We also have a problem of Irish audiences not being interested in seeing a new Irish film because there´s a certain stigma that they are not worth taking a trip to the cinema for. This is where the new wave is going to change everything. The industry is now producing quality films which in my opinion are better or at the same level of quality as anywhere else in the world.

If a magic wand were to be waved, making you in charge of funding for Irish Film – how would you exercise that power?

      I don´t think I´d be the man for that job. I think the Irish Film Board is doing a great job at the moment by nurturing a whole wave of up and coming talent. I think the correct thing to do is to support this talent and help it grow and then watch it flourish.  

How did you rate The Guard and what did you think it did right in terms of being successful at the Irish box office?

      To be honest it wasn´t my cup of tea but again that´s just my opinion. It appealed to a wide audience so it has to be applauded for that. I think they found a formula that worked. It had the right elements to attract a wide mainstream audience and it had Brendan Gleeson in the lead role. This happens every couple of years in Ireland. Intermission is another good example. Perriers Bounty is an example of what happens after when you try and replicate the formula.

You have just had two films premier at the Galway Film Fleadh this year. Do you think they will secure theatrical release?

      Who´s to know? Between the Canals sold out its first two weeks in the cinema but still hasn´t been released on DVD three years later. The industry is volatile and distribution companies are less willing to put their neck out. I think King of the Travellers will as it has a wide appeal but as for its unwanted cousin ´Stalker´….I think Stalker will go through the grinder, hopefully making an impact at festivals but come out the other side as a film that people talk about. It´ll be a hard cinema sell because of its content but hopefully it will spread through word of mouth. Self distribution is probably on the cards there but as it says in the Manifesto ´The tools are finally in our hands´. Also they´re making a computer game based on the film so that may help.  

            Film-wise, what are you currently working on at the moment?

I´ve twelve projects in development. The problem is getting finance.

Have you an interest in working abroad or is there enough to keep you here in Ireland?

Well I´m currently in Peru writing! However Ireland is my home. I want to make Irish films which appeal to an International audience. There are so many great Irish stories yet to be told so why would I want to work anywhere else. I love Ireland.

What recent Irish films have you seen? Are you encouraged by the standard of filmmaking here in general?

I´ve missed out on seeing a good few of the new ones. I´m looking forward to seeing My Brothers, Pilgrim Hill, Citadel, Dollhouse and What Richard Did. I´m very encouraged by the standard of film making talent. As I said there´s a whole wave of talent emerging.  

What other Irish filmmakers excite you that we may not have heard of yet?

Gerrard Barrett even though I haven´t seen his work. I met him at Galway and instantly liked him. Donal Foreman is making his feature film debut through our company Stalker films and we´re excited about that. Also through Stalker we´ll be producing ´Cardboard Gangster´ by John Connors which we are really excited about as its set in Darndale and this will be new to Irish film. These films will be part of the new wave.

Finally, what is your favourite Irish film of all time?

I have lots of favourites. In the Name of the Father, The Butcher Boy, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, The Field, Charlie Casanova, Kings, Tin Can Man, Poitin, My Left Foot, Pavee Lackeen, Song for a Raggy Boy, Angela´s Ashes…I love Irish films!!!!

My thoughts on Mark O’Connor’s Irish film Manifesto

After hearing that there was someone who had read out a manifesto stating that there was a ‘new wave’ in Irish cinema my interest was piqued. Who would have the audacity to say that the system as it stands is not the future on foot of the Box Office success of The Guard? Director Mark O’Connor (Between the Canals), fresh from having two films premiere in the Galway Film Fleadh, read this out before one of them. But how does the document stand up? Is his theory on the new wave of Irish film ahead of its time at best or premature and a little pretentious at worst?

The first thing to say is that this is a brave thing to do for a relatively unknown filmmaker. There is no real advantage in some ways to putting yourself out there like this and inviting scorn. The overall message of the manifesto, it seems, is to provoke a reaction and start a discussion as to where our National Cinema is heading. O’Connor is not without confidence (one of his new films is called Stalker: that takes nerve) and one hopes that this doesn’t backfire on him within the industry. In general terms I would not disagree with most of what he says. I think that the availability of cheaper equipment and the use of internet raised funding initiatives have fundamentally changed how films can be made. I think that if a slew of films were made this way what would happen would be relatively in keeping with what happens in other countries. There would be some really bad films (not everyone that can pick up a camera should) but there would also be some bold and challenging ones. There may even be a masterpiece or two in the next few years. I think the keys to the executive bathroom in Ireland’s filmic world have been out of bounds for too many people for too long. Other voices need to be heard if we are to have any hope of growing our cinematic output and reputation in the future.

I am on the record as being a Charlie Casanova fan but I also know I am in a minority. I think O’Connor was to some degree detrimentally divisive by stating that you either liked it (Charlie Casanova) or you didn’t recognise how good it was or indeed understood it. The film is somewhat problematic and while there is every chance its reputation may be enhanced in the next few years it is simply wrong to dismiss critics of the film as people that do not understand it or that are just too used to the Hollywood formula. Let it be called a bad film if needs be. It is every critic’s right to call a film crap if they so choose and the people that did, should be engaged in this debate as much as anyone else. If there is a new wave of Irish film there needs to be inclusivity and support to help it along. Pushing people who ‘don’t get it’ to the side will not help. I think while O’Connor talks of this as the beginning of protest film it is not necessarily to be taken literally. He could be talking about the fact that low budget filmmaking can be more daring and radical because of less financial risk. The manifesto could seem to be a call to arms in this regard.

So will there be a long lasting effect of all of this? O’Connor’s films were warmly received at Galway and there is an optimism that there are other films coming along that could do well. Silence by Pat Collins is in cinemas at the moment and doing quite well. It is a terrific film, well reviewed and seems to have found a niche audience. Citadel and Pilgrim Hill were two other films that were talked about enthusiastically at Galway with the latter singled out for praise by Donald Clarke in the Irish Times. That this film was made for next to nothing would seem to bear out O’Connor’s general point about micro budget filmmaking within the manifesto and it is a point that is worth considering.

There are some interesting films being made here, some with tiny budgets and skeleton crews. If some of these films can get distribution on a regular basis there is cause for some optimism that we can have a National Cinema that can compare to others. And if we can find an audience in the cinemas on a regular basis for films that would not need much to claw back investments it could be a successful future model for our films. But O’Connor has to be careful not to alienate people within the industry too much. There should be room at funding level for micro budget filmmaking but that does not mean that bigger budget filmmaking should be ignored. It is my opinion that the money for bigger budget filmmaking should only come when there is satisfaction that the screenplay is production ready. There have been films made for considerable amounts of money over the last few years that clearly could have benefitted with more work on the script. I will not name names but anyone with an interest in Irish film will know what films they are. I think that there is room for more eclectic and less formal filmmaking at the micro budget level where the risk of investment is less severe. An increase in the amount of low budget films produced here over the next few years would be exciting but perhaps more importantly if they could get distribution and marketing behind them, there may well be an audience for them as well.

I would like to know where people who are involved or indeed just care about our National Cinema stand on this issue. You can leave comments below on this subject and I will answer and debate each one. You can also engage in a discussion on twitter with me (@jaycoyle) if that is your preferred media. I am hoping to interview some people in the Irish film industry to get their thoughts on our cinematic future. Indeed my first interview will be published on this blog very soon. That interview is with the writer of the Irish film manifesto himself, Mark O’Connor. He had some interesting things to say about our cinematic past and future. If you are involved in the film industry in Ireland and you would like to be interviewed, please contact me here or on Twitter and I will get back to you. My aim is to have a broad selection of interviews on my site to see if there is any consensus or vision as to how we see our National Cinema’s future.

Ireland on Screen: I want to scream

Beginning last night with Jim Sheridan’s The Boxer, RTE began its latest attempt to support Irish film with an Ireland on Screen season. It will run for two weeks and will have a number of premieres during that time. As a concept this is a very good idea, showcasing Irish film for people who would not be overly familiar with recent output. But the devil is in the details and as soon as you read through the listings several problems emerge.

The first thing that comes to mind is that there is no real structure to the season. It was only announced the day before it was scheduled to begin which means no real time for advertising the season. This is important as some advertisement is probably necessary for people who have no specific interest in Irish film as a whole. As far as I am aware (and I missed The Boxer last night so I could be wrong) there is no real attempt to put the season in context. Would it have cost too much to maybe have someone introduce each film or even just the season? An Irish film academic or film fan, maybe a director or actor, hell even Dave Fanning. It would be refreshing to have someone to say where each film stands in the overall canon of Irish film. Alas this does not appear to be the case.

Another issue is that there is no standard times or days that each film is being shown. The season lasts only two weeks for some reason, the films are scheduled on various days and truly bizarre times. The Boxer kicks off the season at 11.30pm! This is madness if you want to draw viewers in. A quick scan of the schedule could only lead you to believe that it was decided by a World Cup style draw. Films, days and times put into a giant hat and picked out randomly. This is not good. All of this would be forgivable (indeed since Moviedrome there has been a reluctance to introduce film at all on TV which is a real shame) if it wasn’t for the biggest problem of all.

The main issue is simply the choice of films on offer. Looking through the list is groan inducing. There is always going to be some films that will be on any season for familiarity reasons. This is to help get people to watch who otherwise may not bother. This season is full of those kinds of films. This is not a criticism of the quality of any of the choices, more that there is a dull and safe feeling to their inclusion. Films like Michael Collins, The Boxer and In the Name of the Father are too familiar to offer something different. To be fair there are a couple of films I do genuinely want to see, namely His and Hers and The Runway. But where is the sense of risk? Where is the low budget and unfamiliar films of the last few years? Where are films such as Snap, As if I am Not There, Between the Canals, Garage, Hunger, Guiltrip, Accelerator, The Other Side of Sleep, Kisses, Pyjama Girls? There is an argument that at least RTE are making an attempt to help out the Irish film industry here, indeed they also invest financially in Irish film to be fair. But one can’t help feel that there is a real missed opportunity to showcase a diverse selection here. And that is the real pity.

Here is the list of films being shown