Intermission

From its gobsmacking opening to the bravura climax, this first feature has a verve, energy and surprise that knocks you sideways. Another movie with myriad characters crisscrossing the city - an Altman-esque template that's proved relevant and adaptable to many film-makers, many cities - this Dublin film about love offers the excitement of a thriller and more laughs than most comedies. Murphy is John, who's split up with Deirdre (Macdonald) because she didn't refuse when he suggested it. Now she's seeing Sam (McElhatton), a banker, and John doesn't like it a bit - so when hardman Lahiff (Farrell) suggests a spot of robbing (with vengeance on top), John's there. His mate Oscar (Wilmot) wants none of it. He's more concerned about his own sexual hang-ups, which lead him to a golden-oldies disco in search of a sure thing, and into the angry arms of Noeleen (O'Kane), whose husband Sam has just walked out on her. Then there's Jerry (Meaney), one of Dublin's finest, who models himself on Dirty Harry. That's barely the half of it, but it gives some notion of screenwriter O'Rowe's restless, roustabout ingenuity, his readiness to mix up sentiment, anarchy and farce. The hand-held, NYPD Blue-style camerawork doesn't always disguise some low budget wobbles, but Intermission kicks with sharp comic detail, great gab and top notch character acting.