Parked review (sorta)
So I did my best to be done with 'that thing from hell' so that I could watch this. I've been waiting a long time for a chance to see this film, and if you're looking for some kind of in-depth review or something, that's probably not going to happen. ;)
I was, TBH, afraid to watch. I read the synopsis and was like 'Oh noes, Colin will make me bawl my eyes out again like he did in Island.' When I pulled the disc out of the box the tagline on the cover read: 'Hilariously funny.' I'm not sure if it's my sense of humour that is malfunctioning, but I don't really understand who would watch this film and say that. It's not actually as tear-jerking as I thought, but I wouldn't call it a comedy.
Things I liked:
About the film. I liked how it wasn't about homelessness or about drugs, despite one main character being homeless and the second homeless and an addict. Somehow the director managed to make it very clear that, while yes, drugs are certainly bad, the film isn't about that. Someone called it sweet, someone called it social. To me, the main idea that was not so subtly communicated was that even when we're at our lowest, most useless, most self-destructive we can actually be a positive influence on someone else's life, and not just as a scary example. This was lovely as sentiments go.
I also loved how clueless Fred was about what was happening to Cathal, because it's true. People who've no idea -- have no idea. Just like everyone else, he might have figured it out had he had more time. I also liked how Cathal was protecting him from that truth every bit as much as he was protecting himself.
I loved Colm Meany. I knew him from Star Trek where I loved his character and his acting, and it was a pleasure watching him here. This role seems to have been written for him. And his accent is every bit as charming as I remembered. :)
I would have loved to know a bit more about Cathal's father, because as it is the guy comes off as a prick. But this, too, falls well within the general concept of the film -- we don't know the whole story, or the backstory of practically anyone. The characters are forced (and we are forced with them) to take each other solely on their own merits, without knowing what made them this way. From a certain standpoint, it's actually amazing.
About Colin.
While I do hope that Colin will some day star in a film where he wouldn't be homeless/mentally ill/a junkie etc., I can't deny that his morphing into character here was SCARY good. I'm pretty sure whoever's reading this knows full well I'm a complete fangirl where Colin is concerned, but that doesn't change the fact that the guy can act like nobody's business. In fact, when he plays someone like that I wish he weren't that good. It's creepy.
Another thing that made me smile was that it's very, very hard to make Colin look unattractive and whoever's job it was on this crew didn't succeed, despite the smoking, the shooting up, the blood, and the quirks. Basically, I've come to the conclusion that he's one of those people who can wear potato sacks and be just fine. *g*
(Pics and gifs from the depths of tumblr, if they're yours let me know)
All in all, it wasn't as hard a film to watch as I feared, and it's not without its humorous moments, though 'hilariously funny' is in my view way of an overreach.
I was, TBH, afraid to watch. I read the synopsis and was like 'Oh noes, Colin will make me bawl my eyes out again like he did in Island.' When I pulled the disc out of the box the tagline on the cover read: 'Hilariously funny.' I'm not sure if it's my sense of humour that is malfunctioning, but I don't really understand who would watch this film and say that. It's not actually as tear-jerking as I thought, but I wouldn't call it a comedy.
Things I liked:
About the film. I liked how it wasn't about homelessness or about drugs, despite one main character being homeless and the second homeless and an addict. Somehow the director managed to make it very clear that, while yes, drugs are certainly bad, the film isn't about that. Someone called it sweet, someone called it social. To me, the main idea that was not so subtly communicated was that even when we're at our lowest, most useless, most self-destructive we can actually be a positive influence on someone else's life, and not just as a scary example. This was lovely as sentiments go.
I also loved how clueless Fred was about what was happening to Cathal, because it's true. People who've no idea -- have no idea. Just like everyone else, he might have figured it out had he had more time. I also liked how Cathal was protecting him from that truth every bit as much as he was protecting himself.
I loved Colm Meany. I knew him from Star Trek where I loved his character and his acting, and it was a pleasure watching him here. This role seems to have been written for him. And his accent is every bit as charming as I remembered. :)
I would have loved to know a bit more about Cathal's father, because as it is the guy comes off as a prick. But this, too, falls well within the general concept of the film -- we don't know the whole story, or the backstory of practically anyone. The characters are forced (and we are forced with them) to take each other solely on their own merits, without knowing what made them this way. From a certain standpoint, it's actually amazing.
About Colin.
While I do hope that Colin will some day star in a film where he wouldn't be homeless/mentally ill/a junkie etc., I can't deny that his morphing into character here was SCARY good. I'm pretty sure whoever's reading this knows full well I'm a complete fangirl where Colin is concerned, but that doesn't change the fact that the guy can act like nobody's business. In fact, when he plays someone like that I wish he weren't that good. It's creepy.
Another thing that made me smile was that it's very, very hard to make Colin look unattractive and whoever's job it was on this crew didn't succeed, despite the smoking, the shooting up, the blood, and the quirks. Basically, I've come to the conclusion that he's one of those people who can wear potato sacks and be just fine. *g*
(Pics and gifs from the depths of tumblr, if they're yours let me know)
All in all, it wasn't as hard a film to watch as I feared, and it's not without its humorous moments, though 'hilariously funny' is in my view way of an overreach.