Week 18: Get Up and Go

Director: Brendan Grant

Writer: Brendan Grant

Seen: Sunday 3rd May

Venue: IMC Galway

Snacks: Kinder Bueno + Quavers

Mood: Tired

This week we watched Get Up and Go the latest Irish release from director Brendan Grant. We promised that we would support Irish film throughout the year of this challenge. It is fair to say that Irish film often gets a bad rap, Michael McDonagh director of last year’s Calvary got a few knickers in a twist by slating the standard of Irish films, brashly stating they were not “technically accomplished” or “intelligent”. Tut - tut Michael, that’s a bit harsh considering your first and only two films were completely based in the West of Ireland and you received substantial funding from the Irish Film Board to make them.

Nonetheless, McDonagh is completely entitled to his opinion and I am sure his opinion is shared by many but I totally disagree with his assertion. I believe in every country there are films both good and bad being produced regardless of the size of the country. Two recent examples of great Irish films and most certainly “technically accomplished” and “intelligent” were Glassland by Gerrard Barrett and Patricks Day by Terry McMahon. And after this week’s viewing I can point to an example of a somewhat bad Irish film that is Get Up and Go, which is not to say that all those involved in it tried to make the best film they could. So, Mr. McDonagh you see Irish cinema like most other countries can throw out both good and bad productions, maybe a bit of discretion is advised the next time you comment. Rant over, point made!

Get Up and Go had the potential to be something of an enjoyable watch but man does it get lost. The theme of the film is a day in the life of two young male Dubliners Alex and Coilin, we watch how their day gets gradually worse (cliché). They win money then lose money (cliché) the innocent shy Coilin (Killian Scott) can’t get the girl he loves (cliché) the brash confident Alex (Peter Coonan) wants to leave his girlfriend because she is pregnant (cliché). Unfortunately, I could go on.

If I had to find something good to say about Get Up and Go it would be that there are some funny moments between Coonan and Scott and it is clear that these guys are good actors. Regrettably though they are not enough to save it.