Waking Ned Devine

(Kirk Jones, UK/France, 1998)

Every Christmas season, some regular filmgoers freeze in terror at the prospect of another cute, unbearable Irish comedy, full of drinking, singing and maudlin scenarios about reunited families and dreams come true – another Hear My Song (1991), for instance, to clog up our arthouses at year's end.

Breathe easy, because this year's Christmas Irish comedy breaks the mould. Waking Ned Devine is an unexpected treat – a modest lark that starts energetically and builds to a tremendous finale.

Perhaps the secret ingredient of writer-director Kirk Jones' debut feature is its matter-of-fact celebration of greed and deception within a feel-good format.

In the village of Tullymore, every codger seems obsessed with the dream of winning the national lottery. Longtime married couple Jackie (Ian Bannen) and Annie (Fionnula Flanagan) twig to the fact that someone locally has actually won – but who, exactly?

After much cagey investigation, they uncover the fact that Ned Devine is the blessed one – but he has died from the euphoria of seeing his lucky numbers come up on the television.

When Jim (Brendan F. Dempsey) shows up from the big city to verify the identity of the winner, Jackie presses his best mate Michael (David Kelly) into action as an imposter. Stirred by a daggy dream vision, the two friends decide they must invite every member of the village to join their scheme. It is in this fashion that the film deftly balances community spirit with a grasping shot at the big brass ring.

Waking Ned Devine has many funny moments superbly acted by its ensemble cast – and it is unafraid of using a little outright burlesque.

The most memorable character of all is the local fly in the ointment – cranky old Lizzie (Eileen Dromey), who realises there may be an even greater financial reward in betraying her community. Lizzie's eventual fate provides the most glorious denouement of any film in 1998. And makes one almost pine in advance for next Christmas's Irish comedy.

© Adrian Martin December 1998