Danny Flynn, a former IRA volunteer, is released from prison after 14 years to quietly rebuild his life in his rundown corner of Belfast.
The setting of the film is so dark and impoverished someone with a knowledge of Ireland can only assume it was shot in Dublin's inner city as there are no districts of Ireland outside the capital that resemble that level of urban poverty. This is a contributing factor to the feeling of detachment the film gives off and only really the scene in East Belfast between Danny and Maggie give us a local feel, this coupled with the warmth of the dialogue, is one of the few tines the viewer can invest in the story.
Films set in Belfast require on site production to be of value as the local area is as much a character in films based on the 'troubles' as the actors themselves. If the director was seeking to give us a feel of Irish urban poverty at its very worst why didn't he just go the whole hog and film the picture in the Moyross area of Limerick City, as it is about as relevant to a Belfast based picture as Dublin's north inner city.
The setting of the film is so dark and impoverished someone with a knowledge of Ireland can only assume it was shot in Dublin's inner city as there are no districts of Ireland outside the capital that resemble that level of urban poverty. This is a contributing factor to the feeling of detachment the film gives off and only really the scene in East Belfast between Danny and Maggie give us a local feel, this coupled with the warmth of the dialogue, is one of the few tines the viewer can invest in the story.
Films set in Belfast require on site production to be of value as the local area is as much a character in films based on the 'troubles' as the actors themselves. If the director was seeking to give us a feel of Irish urban poverty at its very worst why didn't he just go the whole hog and film the picture in the Moyross area of Limerick City, as it is about as relevant to a Belfast based picture as Dublin's north inner city.