A Film and Possible Insolvency

Mrs maytrees and I went to see"What Richard Did" at the Wimbledon HMV/Curzon yesterday.

As the tiny Jessop's shop opposite had just closed down along with the national chain  now in administration (people using their  Iphone camera apps rather than having  separate cameras is part of the problem) I asked the HMV film /bar man/ticket seller what he thought of HMV's survival  prospects. He was rather downbeat but upon being pressed felt that the film theatre and bar at Wimbledon's HMV 3rd floor would survive even if the first two floors went with HMV into administration.

As for the film itself: Well the upmarket suburbs of Dublin and the seaside looked as wonderful as ever and the film reviews both today in the Mail and before yesterday in the Indy and everywhere else, gave it glowing reports. Personally I did not like it. Possibly on a cold dark winter's afternoon, a more uplifting film would be better or maybe even a comedy. 

The acting was fine but the actors were  nearly all white middle class over indulged  c. 18 year olds who seemed to have uninhibited use of their parents'  cars  and seaside houses and could do almost as they liked. Pubs and girl/boy friends were the main activities -  oh yes and masses of  take away beer. The occasional well sung Irish melody in the pub added to my negative feeling rather than weakened  it. The parents were feeble at least the father of the main star was as the mother seemed more or less out of the picture.

 As for the commiseration party of the rugby team where the boy who died had played, I was more surprised by the single black boy in the back ground apparently as a token to racial mix than taken by the plot or lack of it at the time. Very disappointing is my feeling. The best parts were the  cinema shots of attractive parts of Dublin but even these were often  spoiled by being taken so one's view started at c.6 feet up.

Mrs maytrees  whose origins are from the other less well off side of Dublin was defensive but I don't think this was her favourite Irish (sponsored by an Irish film board)  film either.