Agnes Browne is a recently bereaved, stall owner and mother of seven children. With her best friend and fellow stall owner Marion Monks, she works hard every day to feed, house and clothe herself and her children. This has all to be done while still trying to pay off a ruthless loan shark called Mister Billy. She enjoys a pint and a singsong in the pub but when she has a rare moment to herself she likes to dance to her Tom Jones records.
Agnes Browne is another directorial effort from the wonderful Anjelica Huston and with her in the main role I would expect a lot better than what I received for my moneys worth. The problem with this film is that John Goldsmith's adaptation of Brendan O'Carroll's hit " The Mammy " is terrible and it plays to the worst kind of paddy whackery since Darby O'Gill and the little people. Goldsmith totally misses the point of the book and it is very obvious by surname alone that Goldsmith is not Irish and his comprehension of Irish humor is zero considering it has been more successfully demonstrated in different films by different writers. He totally leaves out the essential components that made O'Carroll's book so successful. " The Mammy " is certainly about a woman in 1960's Dublin fighting to bring up her kids, but the books more endearing feature is the respect that the children have for their mother. One example I can give is the relationship that builds between Agnes Browne and her eldest son Mark. In the book it demonstrates greatly that Mark's desire to get a job is not just to get out of the boredom of school but it is in necessity to provide for his family. The book also richly illustrates how Mark through careful observation of his mother gains her financial resourcefulness and how he thoughtfully gives back to his family. In return he receives the respect an adult would receive from his mother and siblings because of his willingness to accept adult responsibility at the tender age of 14. This kindness is also encouraged by his new boss and mentor Henry Wise a Jewish man whose fireside chats with Mark on his Sabbath encourage Mark to look to a brighter horizon and realizes the values of his mothers words. Great substantial stuff is replaced by mediocre trash by re-naming Mr. Henry Wise to Mr Ahern and cutting his influence right out and creating the rubbish loan shark Mister Billy. This is of course is to create tension and entertainment for the fickle international audiences. John Goldsmith should never have been hired to adapt this script.
Because of the script it is very hard to know what the supporting actors are like individually but I they gain my respect as they give heart and soul to characters despite the storyline. It is will great difficultly I will say that it is the first time I have had to badmouth Ray Winstone who I am a great fan of. His Irish accent is as bad as the script he may have played a relocated English loan shark. Anjelica Huston is good, not great, I think the dual duties of acting and directing may have got the better of her. Her role was a very hard one and I think she would have been casting a prominent English actress like Julia Walters or Emma Thompson in the role. Anjelica may have lived in Ireland in her youth but her compression of Irish Humour is as bad as John Goldsmiths. She misses a lot of great moments in both her direction and acting. Some of which might have saved the film from this reviewer's disdain.
To cut a long story short. I love the book on which this was based. On it's initial release I went to the cinema eagerly to watch it but hopes and anticipation were replaced by scorn and loathing for all American productions based in Ireland. Granted families will love this but what I am saying is instead of becoming another family hour movie on some television station, it could have been ten times better and more beneficial for us all. 4 out of 10
Agnes Browne is another directorial effort from the wonderful Anjelica Huston and with her in the main role I would expect a lot better than what I received for my moneys worth. The problem with this film is that John Goldsmith's adaptation of Brendan O'Carroll's hit " The Mammy " is terrible and it plays to the worst kind of paddy whackery since Darby O'Gill and the little people. Goldsmith totally misses the point of the book and it is very obvious by surname alone that Goldsmith is not Irish and his comprehension of Irish humor is zero considering it has been more successfully demonstrated in different films by different writers. He totally leaves out the essential components that made O'Carroll's book so successful. " The Mammy " is certainly about a woman in 1960's Dublin fighting to bring up her kids, but the books more endearing feature is the respect that the children have for their mother. One example I can give is the relationship that builds between Agnes Browne and her eldest son Mark. In the book it demonstrates greatly that Mark's desire to get a job is not just to get out of the boredom of school but it is in necessity to provide for his family. The book also richly illustrates how Mark through careful observation of his mother gains her financial resourcefulness and how he thoughtfully gives back to his family. In return he receives the respect an adult would receive from his mother and siblings because of his willingness to accept adult responsibility at the tender age of 14. This kindness is also encouraged by his new boss and mentor Henry Wise a Jewish man whose fireside chats with Mark on his Sabbath encourage Mark to look to a brighter horizon and realizes the values of his mothers words. Great substantial stuff is replaced by mediocre trash by re-naming Mr. Henry Wise to Mr Ahern and cutting his influence right out and creating the rubbish loan shark Mister Billy. This is of course is to create tension and entertainment for the fickle international audiences. John Goldsmith should never have been hired to adapt this script.
Because of the script it is very hard to know what the supporting actors are like individually but I they gain my respect as they give heart and soul to characters despite the storyline. It is will great difficultly I will say that it is the first time I have had to badmouth Ray Winstone who I am a great fan of. His Irish accent is as bad as the script he may have played a relocated English loan shark. Anjelica Huston is good, not great, I think the dual duties of acting and directing may have got the better of her. Her role was a very hard one and I think she would have been casting a prominent English actress like Julia Walters or Emma Thompson in the role. Anjelica may have lived in Ireland in her youth but her compression of Irish Humour is as bad as John Goldsmiths. She misses a lot of great moments in both her direction and acting. Some of which might have saved the film from this reviewer's disdain.
To cut a long story short. I love the book on which this was based. On it's initial release I went to the cinema eagerly to watch it but hopes and anticipation were replaced by scorn and loathing for all American productions based in Ireland. Granted families will love this but what I am saying is instead of becoming another family hour movie on some television station, it could have been ten times better and more beneficial for us all. 4 out of 10