A Comic spin on Ireland most dangerous mob bosses with a procrastinating good guy, Perrier's Bounty may not be nearly as smart as it likes to make out and you have to hand it to Cillian Murphy. Although he's not a giant of actors in the film industry, for 88 minutes he manages to lug this rambling, fickle plot pretty much by himself and remain mildly entertaining while he does it. Written by Mark O'Rowe, with the always watchable Brendan Gleeson also headlining, there is every chance it might even eclipse the success of O’Rowe’s previous hit film, ‘Intermission’.
Extremely sharp in points, an appalling attempt at an Irish accent by Jim Broadbent, and a plot that climaxes with an ending that feels rather anti-climactic (And you can’t help feel it was intended), eluding us somewhat. Still, it has a charm you can’t help warm to, and with the exception of Broadbent (Get Irish actors for Irish roles, duh!) the acting is top notch.
Michael McCrea (Murphy) is a ‘’bad boy’’, but the likeable kind, who runs up some loans and finds himself in debt to Dublin gangster Darren Perrier (Gleeson). Perrier is more of a bad ass than bad boy, but in a not-so-likeable way, and when Michael fails to come up with the cash, two of Perrier's gang call round to rough him up.
Brendan Gleeson & Cillian Murphy InterviewAll doesn't go to plan however, as Brenda (Whittaker), Michael's best friend and next-door neighbour, who has stolen Michael's gun with the intention of taking her own life, instead shoots one of the thugs. Perrier is naturally upset about this turn of events, and puts a bounty out on Michael and Brenda's head, go figure.
But for some reason this wasn't confusing enough for Mark O’Rowe, McCrea's father Jim (Broadbent) has just come back into his life, telling Michael that he's dying. With one of Perrier's gang dead, Brenda and McCrea senior and Junior flees to the Dublin Mountains to bury the body and go on the run.
Containing the kind of over-articulated dialogue that seems to feature in independent film all over the world today, O'Rowe certainly knows how to string an entertaining sentence together, which quickly becomes weary in places, what 'Perrier's Bounty' lacks most is credibility when dealing with what we are meant to believe are the hardest of Dublin criminals but despite the ill credibility and over-elaborate dialogue those sentences coming from the mouths of actors with the capability of Gleeson and Murphy are a delight to hear at points. Murphy is particularly strong, giving another thoroughly natural performance and pulling this film to the 88 minute by the scruff of the neck.
It's difficult to convey when and where exactly this movie goes awry, but the oblique storyline; unnecessarily affluent dialogue and wooden characterisation are good places as any to start. What begins as a decent, somewhat bemusing premise for a film descends very quickly into an all-out fantasy, where the audience is expected to leave its scepticism at the door and not ask too many questions. The cinematography helps the film trundle along, with some beautiful shots of Dublin City and the Dublin Mountains. But when you have the flaws unravelled blatantly on front of your face you find it hard to maintain an active interest.
The quirky hitmen, and violent main gangster with a fondness for long-winded monologues, will charm you for the most part until Broadbent’s accent spoils the mood , but Perrier's Bounty is sharp enough for long enough to, just about, hold its own.
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