The Boys and Girl from County Clare [HD]

A Wee Sparkling Film from Ireland
Some films may be predictable, with minimal storyline and action sequences and still be a hit. THE BOYS AND GIRL FROM COUNTY CLARE hits that description on target. This is an emerald of a jaunty little Irish tale that thoroughly entertains with a fine cast and superb Irish music and leaves the audience wholly satisfied - AND has a fine social comment!

The setting is County Clare where the International Irish Music festival is at hand. For years John-Joe McMahon (Bernard Hill) and his little band have won the ceili (Irish dance music) band competition. Members of his hometown orchestra include young Anne (Andrea Corr) and her unmarried grumpy piano-playing mother Maisie (Charlotte Bradley). Word comes round that John-Joe's long estranged brother Jimmy (Colm Meaney) has a band from Liverpool, a band that includes Liverpudlian types including young and handsome flautist Teddy (Shaun Evans) and is aimed in the direction of the Festival to compete. In fine Irish tradition...

Irish Music at its Best!
Brother against brother is the overarching theme of this gem of a movie, but the driving force throughout is its music. I've always enjoyed Irish music, but until watching this film, I had never heard of a ceili band. Now I'll be on the lookout for a CD or two.

Oh yeah, the brother against brother thing? It's a conflict that's contested through music, in this case the annual Ceili Band Contest. Two brothers, John Joe, the older one stayed on the farm in Ireland, while Jimmy left for Liverpool shortly after getting his girlfriend pregnant. After 26 years of estrangement, Jimmy returns to the ceili competition with his band, hoping to interrupt the two year championship reign of John Joe's band. Avoiding the fray thus far is a third brother Padjo, a missionary priest off in Africa. At least we think Padjo has been avoiding the fray.

John Joe (Bernard Hill from the Lord of the Rings series) is a man at peace with himself and his music, although not so much at...

Fiddley-dee
Having an Irish film without Colm Meaney in it would be somewhat like having a Harry Potter book with no mention of Hogwarts. It just can't be done. That being said, the ubiquitous Meaney is both talented and charming, the Emerald Isle's version of Gene Hackman, only a little more discriminating in the roles he accepts. Here, the actor is as likeable as always, even if the character he portrays is not.

The story involves two estranged brothers and the woman who came between them crossing paths at an Irish national music competition, where each brother does his best to deprive the other of the trophy. The story is predictable and somewhat formulaic, but that still doesn't get in the way of its charm. The film goes in the direction you expect it to, yet somehow its development seems very natural. The story's familiarity is something of a comfort. Here music serves as a bridge between people, and old animosities give way to newfound respect. Love blossoms and then finds a way...

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