First of all, I have spoken to a few people who have seen the movie, and their opinions have been very different. Some people may see this movie as a "boring and slow movie with no real storyline", and others as "a movie with much emotion, and with characters you can relate to".
I believe some people who thinks it's a bad movie, didn't really watch it attentively. How cliché this may sound, I think you can't really understand the movie if you watch it with your heart "closed". The first time I watched this movie, I was a bit bored and watched without really taking the information in. Therefore I was a bit confused at the end, like "was that it?". However, after watching it another time I was in love! The storyline in this movie is very simple and unoriginal - about two boys competing over a girl - but the atmosphere and mood in this movie is, in my opinion, very special. The actors (especially the main characters Malachy and Luke, played by Rupert Grint and Robert Sheehan) are doing a very good job showing the emotional struggle both of them carry. Especially a sad scene with Luke after a fight with both his best friend, the girl he's attracted to, and his father. You really feel with the characters. This, together with great soundtracks, makes this an excellent movie.
The main characters Malachy and Luke are very different from each other. Malchy is the "good guy" with the good grades and a normal family. However, he doesn't want people to see him as nothing more than "mom's little good boy", and drinks, swears and does other things to make people notice that he is more than that. His best friend Luke (whom I personally, think is the more interesting character) is his opposite. Luke seems to be a carefree boy with a bit of an attitude. However, his older brother is a businessman, and makes Luke and his father sell drugs for their living. In short, Lukes father is a mess. He never was a real father to Luke. So (without really showing it) Luke really treasures Malachy, as he's one of the few people who cares about him and accepts him as he is. Through out the movie, you realize that Luke loves Malachy more than Malachy loves him back. Luke is a quirky and a bit tragic character, nevertheless you can't resist liking him.
Michelle (played by Kimberely Nixon) is the girl which Malachy and Luke compete over. She is not a beauty, just very cute, which makes the story more realistic. Despite the self-confidence she shows outwards, she really is an insecure girl. Both of her parents doesn't have time for her, and her dad is sleeping with her 16 year old friend (which she finds out later in the movie). With those factors, the reason why she willingly made Malachy and Luke crazy about her becomes clear, as she never received the love she needed at home.
For Luke, getting Michelle to bed was just a game. He was not a person strong enough mentally for a relationship. However, Malachy developed a strong liking to Michelle. This scares Luke, as Malachy starts to strive for Michelle and forgets about Luke. Malachy never really realized what an emotional struggle he carries, yet Michelle assumed. When Michelle needed to return to London (after only staying for 3 days), Malachy wanted to come with her. When being asked about Luke, and answering with a careless "he can manage without me", she responds "do you reckon?".
In short, I think this is a very simple, yet very interesting movie, with many aspects. There are many things I could tell about this movie, but it would be too long, and too boring to read. I really recommend this movie, yet I think this is not a movie for everyone. Not everyone will like this movie, as it is quite different from other, considered great, movies.
I believe some people who thinks it's a bad movie, didn't really watch it attentively. How cliché this may sound, I think you can't really understand the movie if you watch it with your heart "closed". The first time I watched this movie, I was a bit bored and watched without really taking the information in. Therefore I was a bit confused at the end, like "was that it?". However, after watching it another time I was in love! The storyline in this movie is very simple and unoriginal - about two boys competing over a girl - but the atmosphere and mood in this movie is, in my opinion, very special. The actors (especially the main characters Malachy and Luke, played by Rupert Grint and Robert Sheehan) are doing a very good job showing the emotional struggle both of them carry. Especially a sad scene with Luke after a fight with both his best friend, the girl he's attracted to, and his father. You really feel with the characters. This, together with great soundtracks, makes this an excellent movie.
The main characters Malachy and Luke are very different from each other. Malchy is the "good guy" with the good grades and a normal family. However, he doesn't want people to see him as nothing more than "mom's little good boy", and drinks, swears and does other things to make people notice that he is more than that. His best friend Luke (whom I personally, think is the more interesting character) is his opposite. Luke seems to be a carefree boy with a bit of an attitude. However, his older brother is a businessman, and makes Luke and his father sell drugs for their living. In short, Lukes father is a mess. He never was a real father to Luke. So (without really showing it) Luke really treasures Malachy, as he's one of the few people who cares about him and accepts him as he is. Through out the movie, you realize that Luke loves Malachy more than Malachy loves him back. Luke is a quirky and a bit tragic character, nevertheless you can't resist liking him.
Michelle (played by Kimberely Nixon) is the girl which Malachy and Luke compete over. She is not a beauty, just very cute, which makes the story more realistic. Despite the self-confidence she shows outwards, she really is an insecure girl. Both of her parents doesn't have time for her, and her dad is sleeping with her 16 year old friend (which she finds out later in the movie). With those factors, the reason why she willingly made Malachy and Luke crazy about her becomes clear, as she never received the love she needed at home.
For Luke, getting Michelle to bed was just a game. He was not a person strong enough mentally for a relationship. However, Malachy developed a strong liking to Michelle. This scares Luke, as Malachy starts to strive for Michelle and forgets about Luke. Malachy never really realized what an emotional struggle he carries, yet Michelle assumed. When Michelle needed to return to London (after only staying for 3 days), Malachy wanted to come with her. When being asked about Luke, and answering with a careless "he can manage without me", she responds "do you reckon?".
In short, I think this is a very simple, yet very interesting movie, with many aspects. There are many things I could tell about this movie, but it would be too long, and too boring to read. I really recommend this movie, yet I think this is not a movie for everyone. Not everyone will like this movie, as it is quite different from other, considered great, movies.