$9.99  The Englishman Who Went up a Hill But Came Down A Mountain - DVD |
$18.74  Saving Grace - DVD |
$18.71  The Secret of Roan Inish - DVD |
$11.98  The Full Monty - DVD |
$9.97  Local Hero - DVD |
 [Larger view] | Waking Ned Devine
| ||||||||||
| |
Average user rating:  | |
| Charming Fairy Tale | |
| You may not immediately spot the leprechauns, wizards, and other tell-tale signs, but as you watch `Waking Ned Devine', you will soon realize that what you are seeing is an Irish fairy tale, simple and pure. The signs are all there, and if you are sharp, you will soon start to catch them. First to make its appearance is the pot of gold, disguised as a winning lottery ticket held by some lucky neighbor in the tiny village of Tulaigh Morh. Next, you will discover that the two old men scheming for a piece of the action, blarney filled Jackie O'Shea (Ian Bannen) and his expressive faced scarecrow pal Michael O'Sullivan (David Kelly), are but thinly disguised mischievous leprechauns. You will meet a hog keeper (James Nesbitt) waiting for the kiss of a fair maid (Susan Lynch) to reveal him for the prince that he is, and an old hag so black hearted and malevolent that all know her as a witch. And when Ned Devine, the neighbor with the winning ticket, dies from the shock of it, his ghost appears to old Jackie in a dream, setting in motion a plan fanciful as any Puss in Boots ever dreamed of that has the whole village working to outwit the vigilance of the lottery board and the malevolence of the witch, to all claim a piece of the fortune at rainbow's end.
`Waking Ned Devine' will enchant you and make you laugh. From its opening scene until the last verse of The Parting Glass is sung, it will charm you and leave you with a smile, wanting to watch it again. | |
| Overlooked Gem | |
| Since others have synopsized this little gem of a movie, I'll just say I enjoyed it *very* much. It's a world away from Hollywood. So, if you're into guns and buns, Waking Ned Devine won't work for you. Tully More and it's people were all convincingly brought to life by the excellent acting and directing. The scene at the end where some of the townsmen climb a hill overlooking the sea to toast the memory of their benefactor was very moving.
Sadly, Actor Ian Bannen, who played Jackie O'Shea, was killed in an automobile accident one year after its release. And writer/director Kirk Jones has not directed or written for another movie. He deserves better. | |
| Thoroughly funny and twisted plot... | |
| In a remote Irish village, two natives discover their neighbor Ned Devine is a lottery winner. Upon hearing the news, Devine passes away. In order to keep his prize, the two men set out to impersonate Devine. The plot gets more convoluted and hilarious as the whole town gets involved. This is one you'll want to watch over and over! |
