A Film With Me In It.

'A Film With Me In It' is an intriguing title for a film. It begs the question : a film with who, or what exactly, in it? The characters are a group of Dubliners who are subsisting in a death trap of a flat. This group consits of a toally unimpressive 'artistic' duo, one of whose brother is paralysed and mute, an unfullfilled young woman, and a dog. They are are at odds with the world around them in general,and their unsubtle landlord in particular. The inertia of the first act is punctured by a sequence of events that is plausible, but still farcical. At its heart the film is a black comedy.It knowingly employs age old visual techniques and an assertive score to provide a faux horror aesthetic. The odd couple of Pierce [Moran] and Mark [Doherty] are there for the comedy. The film knowingly copies cinema signatures from old film noirs. The old visual references are used in a repetetive way, and eventually become an ironic motif. The score acts as a reminder of the disastrous nature of the action. Everyone was on the same page as regards the feel of the film ,and the minimalism is well expressed. Success for director Ian Fitzgibbon there. The comedic range of the film is quite broad, but is delivered in a minimalist way. The earnestness of Mark is passable as comedy of understating emotions. The impetuosity of Pierce is reasonably amusing as the comedy of neurotic folly. The dynamic between them is consistent enough. Moran's one liners are well delivered. Take your pick, 'that's not love', as Mark and Pierce catch a glimpse of weird sexual practices. 'I'm like a ghost in a void' is nicely weird.In the support cast, Keith Allen fulfills the role of a 'Bollocksface' satisfactorally. David O' Doherty does not flinch as 'David'. Amy Hubberman is Amy Hubermann.
Mark Doherty's film is modest. It is an Irish product, so this is par for the course. It is modest in its conception, and therefore modest in its execution. A film that is made for any Irish filmmaker, or aspiring writer, who finds Dylan Moran funny. And a few students.And some people in their early twenties who heard that it was funny in places from their friend whose younger brother works in The IMC. It is decent, low key fare.It knows its place in the world.