Intermission

By FRANCESCA RUDKIN

(Herald rating: * * * )

Intermission, the debut feature from Irish theatre director John Crowley, is a fast-paced and violent story about a group of ordinary Dubliners whose lives create a series of chaotic moments.

Although this film is gritty and at times depressing, it's actually an urban love story. The working-class characters are either trying to find true love, recovering from relationship breakups, or dealing with being plain lonely.

Crowley credits the script for bringing talent such as Farrell, Meany and Macdonald into a relatively humble production.

Although Farrell was available for only a week, it's probably his best week's work in a while.

Intermission is being described as an Irish Magnolia, Short Cuts or Amores Perros with its ambitious structure of connecting stories which draw together a diverse range of characters. It carries it off very well.

The multiple plots find a central point in John (Murphy), a nice guy who is suffering after suggesting to his girlfriend Deidre (Macdonald) that they take a break - a little silly as he truly loves her and was only testing Deidre's affections.

So when Deidre takes up with an older man, a bank manager, John is taken aback.

The story gets delightfully convoluted when John's mate, Oscar, gets together with the bank manager's former wife. Deidre's sister, Sally (Henderson), is most disapproving of her sister's actions, but then she is recovering from a nasty relationship - and a cosmetic issue over her moustache.

John gets drawn into a dodgy plan for a bank heist along with two desperate friends, including Lehiff (Farrell).

Things are further complicated by Jerry, a renegade cop with hopes of becoming a reality television star.

Of course, nothing goes to plan, and love is found in unexpected places.

The characters are largely an unlovable bunch but together they give this film a raw charm. And being an Irish film, Intermission also has the added benefit of, well, being Irish - the accents, the spirit, and a little madness.

CAST: Colin Farrell, Cillian Murphy, Kelly Macdonald, Colm Meany, Shirley Henderson

DIRECTOR: John Crowley

RUNNING TIME: 105 minutes

RATING: R16 (violence, offensive language, sex scenes)

SCREENING: Village, Hoyts