2007

March 8, 2008
San Jose Cinequest Film Festival 18
Ireland
English
85 Minutes
Comedy / Drama / Romance
Tony Herbert

Terrible. Simply, terrible. How does someone at the Irish Film Board, or whatever governing body is in charge decide that this is the script that should be made into a finished film? Guy who is heir to an unexplained fortune is unlucky with the ladies, visits the worst shrink in Ireland, spends his time with two losers in a pub, and attends speed dating events over and over again, changing his profession each time. Then while stalking a girl who comes into the pub once in awhile, he is hit by a car and wakes up with amnesia. That's right, amnesia. Seriously. The jokes are obvious and not funny. I didn't laugh once. The love interest is obvious immediately and way too perfect. The misunderstanding that will keep them apart is weak even by this genre's standards. The caper portion, whereby the cute nurse and the amnesiac try to discover who he is goes nowhere for no reason. For a brief moment, I thought the cute nurse would be enough to sustain my interest, but even she's not enough. It's one of those independent films where shots last several beats too long on reaction shots. Stay away from this one.

Incidentally, the "speed dating" of the title, was done to much greater effect in the two-minute scene in 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN. I'd rather watch that scene over and over 40 times than watch this 85 minutes again.

Winner of Indianapolis and Malibu Film Festival Best Picture Awards? Ugh. Cross those two off my list of potential festivals to visit.

Amnesia? I want it after watching this.

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