Adam & Paul (2004) User Reviews

Funny, bleak, sad absurdist comedy

[runamokprods · 8/10 · 24 April 2010]

Funny, bleak, sad, absurdist look at a day in the life two Dublin heroin addicts.

It's more 'Waiting for Godot' than 'Trainspotting'. Two wonderful lead performances by Tom Murphy and Mark O'Halloran as a sort of dark, drug addled Laurel and Hardy.

It's terrifically shot, with wonderful wide angle images of our two anti-heroes tramping through the urban jungle.

The ending wasn't quite as powerful for me as I think it was meant to be, and a few twists felt a bit forced.

But weeks after seeing it, images and moments stick in my mind. Always the sign of a good film.

Great to see that director Lenny Abrahamson continued to grow and make very strong films after this, including "What Richard Did", "Frank" and the Oscar nominated "Room", the last two finally garnering him some well deserved recognition beyond his homeland.

You do drugs...you die

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 6/10 · 19 June 2005]

Everybody in the world ought to know that. Yet there are still people who do. Adam and Paul proves this as well as showing the hopeless deprivation homeless junkies exist in. It's not depressing, unless you're a junkie yourself and are heading in that direction.

In the course of one single day, Adam and Paul try to scam their way through hunger, friends and their relentless need for more heroin. They are clueless, zombified and about as dead as living people get. It's hard to feel sorry for them, in fact you'll probably feel as much contempt for them as their former friends (hardly first-class citizens themselves) do when they show up and mooch.

If you think your life is crap then you need only to compare it to Adam and Paul to cheer yourself up. And if you were ever tempted by drugs then this film ought to put you off that curiosity.

Bittersweet tragi-comedy

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 21 September 2015]

ADAM & PAUL is one of those zero budget films that turns out to be a lot, lot better than bigger-budgeted fare. It's a quirky Irish indie, doing what ONCE did for musicals for the drug genre if you look at it that way; the sparse narrative follows a couple of low life characters as they go through the course of a day shoplifting, mugging, and indulging in petty crime to get the money for their next fix.

There's something fresh and naturalistic about films like this and ADAM & PAUL is indeed a wonderful little production. The simple, episodic nature of the storyline brings this into comparison with the classic 'journey' narratives of old and the characters are delightfully scuzzy, which make the viewing experience all the more fun. In fact, I was surprised at how funny this is for such an unrelentingly grim tale; it's true to life, made with plenty of that Irish charm, so there's little to dislike here. Tom Murphy gives the best performance as the put-upon Paul - there wouldn't be much of a film without him - and knowing the actor died of cancer some three years after this film's release only adds to the bittersweet nature of the production.

heroin in Ireland

[stephenpaultaylor · 21 February 2005]

One of the best films at the Berlinale Film Festival. Gritty, disturbing with doses of black humour thrown in. The characters are likable and the film never dives into emotional manipulation. It's social realism at it's finest, creatively shot and brilliantly acted. Poignant and unforgettable.

The dynamics between the two characters are fascinating. Childhood friends, thrown together since age fourteen, living on the streets, without hope, full of despair, Adam constantly berates and yells at Paul but there is above all, a deep, lasting bond between them. They are despicable characters in so many ways, but there is such tragedy in their eyes and so much despair in their bones, and you end up feeling for them, and a certain innate understanding and empathy. They're outcasts with zero future. They're the "pathetic" people we walk past and ignore every day, and, in the film, they mesmerize.

Somebody said to me it's like Trainspotting without the humour. I'd say it's like Trainspotting, but without the over the top camera tricks, visualizations and the like. There is more social reality and despair, ala Mike Leigh. There is humour, but on a more subtle level.

It sticks with you.

A moving, funny and desperate film.

[gedboy · 9/10 · 5 June 2005]

It takes some work to make anyone feel sorry for junkies but 'Adam and Paul' is a film that succeeds beyond any expectation. Yes, it shows the appalling lives of two junkies who have clearly been 'down so long' they have pretty much lost contact with reality, but it also makes you laugh, for even in their lives there is sometimes something amusing.

It's grim and the words 'with hilarious consequences' are not going to appear in my review, but the film does show there is still some humanity in them, particularly in the scenes with their pal. Yes, their condition makes them dislikeable people who are always on the look out for money to steal and people to scam from, but we are asked to appreciate that there is a glimmer of hope: no matter how dim.

A must see film, but make sure you're in an optimistic frame of mind before you go in, because 'Adam and Paul' will take its toll on the sunniest disposition.

wonderful film

[flics · 10/10 · 29 March 2005]

I saw this film twice and I really enjoyed it. I think that you cannot really compare it with Cowboys and Angels or Intermission (both of which I enjoyed) because it is much more surreal at times, the script is much less plot-driven and more focused on characters. It taps into a different cinematic tradition, much more 'European' than either of those two film. O'Halloran has an ear for language and accent, and allowing his characters to say some beautiful (simple) things: Paul says, frustrated, 'why can't things be easy, why can't we just be...relaxed'. It's not just about heroin addicts - it's about Dublin's invisible population, post-Celtic Tiger, those we don't want to deal with. The guy from Bulgaria takes some abuse from them and he replies 'who are you?', meaning they, i.e. two Irish men, are every bit as undesirable as he is. The humour in the film often consists of laughter that shocks you. The film is drawn out partly because the day in the life of an addict is very long and finding a score is SO important to them. The shock at my own relief when they did score was very apt in the film and I think skilfully done. It never preaches, just lets these sad characters be themselves. The cinematography is beautiful: Dublin comes out as a city of contradictions, with dirty back streets - where the Down's Syndrome boy is robbed - are juxtaposed with the flashy new 'Millenium Bridge', where Adam and Paul enjoy their hit. I do not consider this an "Irish" film and that is not why I would recommend it: it is beautifully scripted, acted and directed. It is just a great movie.

The everyday life of two junkies in Dublin

[david_kravitz · 9/10 · 2 February 2006]

This is a beautiful film made in Dublin which I have just seen in Tel Aviv at the Israel Irish film festival, in the presence of the director. At first I did not think I would enjoy it, it is, after all not an endearing subject but the longer it went into its 83 minutes, the more I enjoyed it. This is the story of two homeless heroin addicts called Adam and Paul but which is Adam, which is Paul, you never find out. Similar to "Waiting for Godot" but filmed in a great number of locations rather than a single room. Although its a sombre subject, you follow a single day in their lives (and the death of one from an overdose) but the film is much filled with humor in a style reminiscent of Laurel and Hardy. The dialog is simple, in very short sentences, which is accurate of these folk, and there is, I warn you, much use of the word f**k which gives the Hebrew subtitlers a lot of grief. All the characters are believable and are based on the lives of real Dubliners. The script was written by the taller addict. How do they eat, how do they go to the bathroom, how do they survive? You follow their lives and ultimately you yearn for one of their scams to survive in order that they "earn" some money but then you realize that it would not be spent on food but drugs. They meet a varied collection of other losers on their travels and I could add a spoiler by revealing the funniest one-liner in the film - when they meet a man they think comes from Romania - but I won't. Another funny sequence is outside a gas station where they are supposedly watching for the police during an attack on the station by two men with baseball bats, pure L & H. The photography is superb, stark, revealing of slums, the direction brilliant. The director was forced to take jobs making commercials to earn a living whilst making the film. As to which one is which, the director confirmed that they were interchangeable and, probably, a single entity. This is the sort of film most English-speaking film-making countries could not make, they lack the observational powers of this writer and director. If you get the chance to see it, don't miss it. And better in a cinema than on television where it will lose much of its qualities.

A Brillian Modern Irish Movie

[Emma D · 10/10 · 13 June 2007]

This is a touching and frank portrayal of a day in the life of two Dublin junkies called Adam and Paul and their modern day "odessy" around Dublin, a Dublin not often seen on screen.

Adam and Paul have reached rock bottom and spend their entire day walking around Dublin trying to beg, borrow or steal enough money to secure their next fix. There are some bittersweet moments of comedy that come from tragedy in it's rawest form with both of the lead actors turning in excellent performances as the down and out Adam and Paul.

The fact that the film makers manage to get the audience on the side of Adam and Paul is a testament to how well written and acted a piece this is. It's hard not to empathise with them as they struggle to find their next fix.

This is a story that will stay with you.

A largely pointless spectacle

[wellthatswhatithinkanyway · 4/10 · 9 June 2005]

STAR RATING: ***** Unmissable **** Very Good *** Okay ** You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead * Avoid At All Costs

The tale of the titular Adam (Mark O' Halloran) and Paul (Tom Murphy), two heroin addicts in the slums of Dublin and their daily amblings about in their meaningless lives searching for the next fix that will make their day. Along the way they try and reconcile with close family and friends who they've managed to let down and destroy over the years.

I know a lot of Irish people like to drink, but it seems some of them have problems with heroin, too by the looks of this movie. I know there is a bit of a drug problem over there, like there is in many parts of the world, so another humorous take on the subject matter is not an entirely unexpected thing.

I don't recall the last Irish movie I saw (the film is shot in a style that makes it stand out from any film I've seen lately!) And, judging from that, obviously I'm not as enlightened on their humour as I could be. The film is rather funny in certain parts, but it's obviously another comedy that isn't afraid to raise near-the-knuckle laughs. The scene in which the mentally disabled boy is robbed down the back of an alley is certainly true of what a pair of junkies might do to feed their habit but is nonetheless utterly despicable and I'm not sure if it was meant as dark humour in any way but it certainly didn't put a smile on my face! It's also in stark contrast to their previous actions where they're seen showing their soft side rocking a baby to-and-fro. In light of this, some may find the ending sad, others may see it as just desserts.

Overall, I just failed to see the point to the film. I didn't see any motivation in the 'story' it was telling. It just seems to amble along without really involving the audience in any way. Unlike Trainspotting (which dealt with similar themes!) it's an unsuccessful effort for the most part that had me on the verge of nodding off despite it's very short 83 minute running time. Really no more enjoyable than following two real life junkies around for a day. **

Hell is right here at home, you just have to look around.

[thesociety · 24 January 2005]

One of the first comments in the movie becomes the corner post of the irony of urban life. Paul states "I feel sorry for those Bulgarians.." while living in conditions that are as bad as anywhere. The actors did a great job, and you feel hungry and cold and angst with them. If the director's intention was to get viewers to feel empathy for the main characters, it works well.

The setting, the boy's hometown neighborhood, provides links to the boys' past and some later conversation gives an indication how their state of affairs came to be. The pace is a bit slow, but dramatic rather than boring. Making movies about junkies, it's easy to be dramatic and provide impact, this one does well. Not as graphic as it could have been, but definitely satisfying. Entertaining and quite sobering, probably a good watch for any 14yr old urban male as an education of consequences.

Great Great Great Movie!

[ericalynn1976 · 10/10 · 22 October 2006]

I can see where this movie would be rather difficult for people who have never had an addiction of *any* sort to understand. I however have never actually met *anyone* who has never been touched in some way by addiction...too alcohol, drugs, gambling, shopping, eating what have you...I was once *very* close to where Adam and Paul were...actually I was *exactly*where they were! Thankfully, for me, my story had a much happier ending then theirs but reading the other reviews it was very clear the people who are empathetic for people with addictions and those who are not....you know who you are! I really think if you can get off of your high horse long enough...a mere 83 minutes! You will *Love this movie*!

An unforgettable gem

[Tippe · 10/10 · 5 July 2010]

I first saw this film a couple of years back and had forgotten the names of the characters (a reflection on my memory NOT the film!). To my delight, I chanced to catch it again on TV this year.

Though it may help to have a liberal attitude, it's not necessary to be acquainted with the demi-monde depicted here to appreciate the truthfulness shown in its writing and execution. The dark humour is grotesque and incisive.... and very, very funny.

It might be easy to overlook the fact that the Down's Syndrome lad is actually an ACTOR doing his thing (because of the cringe-worthy nature of the scene here), but the incident serves to illustrate in a shocking way the amorality of the world that Adam and Paul inhabit. It's uncomfortable viewing, but its heart is in the right place.

That aside, there are more laugh-out-loud moments than the subject matter should hope to muster, and the senses of both pathos and revulsion at the end are masterfully combined. A truly unforgettable treat.

A very good film indeed. Carry on making them

[pfgpowell-1 · 9/10 · 6 June 2010]

It really is very difficult to know what to say about Adam & Paul. 'I enjoyed it'? Is there really much enjoyment to be had from seeing a day in the life of two loser junkies who have absolutely nothing, are at rock bottom and then things get even worse? No, not really. 'It's well made'? Yes, it is extremely well made, from the acting, to the cinematography, to the direction, to the dialogue, and it is a 'better made' film than any number of huge budget movies coming from the big studios. But it is far more than simply 'well made'. 'It was funny'? Yes, there were moments of extremely dark comedy in it, but in the sense but the existence of Adam & Paul is anything but funny. Quite honestly, the film is not about 'two junkies' looking for a fix: just as pertinent are the hopeless lives of their friends and family members which are also portrayed and the pertinent fact is that this is not 'fiction' but merely a true reflection of the lives of far too many people from here in the Western world with its 'welfare state' to any number of other countries. For this viewer Adam & Paul is film-making at its finest. It is not a 'big' film, or an 'important' film or anything of that kind. I don't know what it is, but — for this viewer at least — it and a good many films like it stand head and shoulders and then some above your Avators or Hancocks or Independence Days. Looking up the credits, I noticed that Tom Murphy also acted in Small Engine Repair, another Irish film which stands head and shoulders about your usual Hollywood 'product'. As I said, it is difficult to know quite what to say about Adam & Paul, but what I can say is that it is very good that actors, directors, producers and writers can still be bothered to make films of this calibre, and may they continue to do so until at least my death.

A Masterpiece

[HoldenSpark · 10/10 · 10 September 2016]

Sometimes (though so extremely rarely that its almost mythical that it may ever happen once in your life and if twice you count yourself blessed beyond all that is holy) you run across a movie that you'd never heard of and upon watching it unfold before your (there's a word I'd like to quote here from the movie that would be most appropriate but I can't cause it would take a letter before i before g and five stars and an apostrophe to tentatively test IMDb's family friendly policy so I'll just go on instead) eyes you find yourself not quite believin' what you're seein' and then when you realize it's getting' going' and buildin' and buildin' and then, O.M.G. when it ends you cry for your good fortune for finding it and watching it and that you'll never again be able to see it for the first time again but who cares, you've seen what you've seen and for a moment you stare at the screen then wipe the tears from your eyes, then wipe the tears of joy for seeing this film from your eyes and you rise from your seat no matter if you're all alone or in the middle of a crowd of strangers, you leap from you seat clapping so hard and so fast and so loudly that your hands hurt so badly you weep but you cant stop to wipe your face because you're screaming with such joyful intensity at the screen the credits are gracing and you realize that all the strangers around you are doing the same thing and you grab hold onto one another and pass the moment in the exquisite embrace of pure unadulterated holy humanity. Then after many long moments savoring it together you hug everyone around you and kiss each of them full on the lips and some of them become friends for life the movie was that profound. And you run home to your computer and you look up this movie and you discover what happened to its stars and you weep and you weep and you weep for all he has achieved. And you cross yourself and bless him. Again and again.

Magnificent.

If you consider yourself a movie buff of any degree you will race to watch this movie and, while I know you'll try and try and try to resist me and what I've said here, by the end you will find yourself grudgingly at least, agreeing with me. Whole, ______' hardidly.

Really. Don't believe me? Throw down and see.

;)

(and i'm not even catholic, and its not even relevant and yet, well, i bow low still)

One day.

Stripped to the bone

[johnhubbard · 28 August 2004]

A film about two messers with much to live for and very little to love.

The two characters wake up on mattress in the middle of a field in which one of them finds themselves glued to;

Things cant possibly get worse for these to but that's all that seems to happen to these to supposedly harmless and unintentionally witty degenerates. The new breed of dubs who have hit rock bottom but seem to stay down there in a hopeless dead-headed fashion.

The dialog and characters melt into an almost beckett-like feel, but don't be fooled there is no particular art in this, but sheer desperation and hopelessness.

Both characters are met with hostility and mistrust almost everywhere they go.

One f**k up after another leads them into some kind of divine miracle of two bags of heroin that literally falls out of the sky.

The hardest thing about watching this film is working out whether it is a tragic- comedy or the lines and characters are actually played the way it would have been in real life. God know, if you have ever lived in Dublin these lads are all over the place. Lads who came from nothing with nothing to give the world let alone themselves but somehow survive in a frowned upon but reluctantly accepted way of life.

The movie struck a note with me and left me feeling sad and hopeless for our two leads. i guess there is no hope after all.

Like Intermission it had that 'real dublin' feel to it but i'd say even darker.

It deserves to be seen so far as it was probably made for a couple of hundred thousand euro's as the performances are strong and varied.

'this is not a commercial movie and 'i don't think it will make much of name for itself but it deserves to be seen by those who would appreciate it for what it is.

A slice of bleak reality in modern day Dublin city.

The Greatest Movie Ever Made !!!!!

[remedytvet · 10/10 · 15 February 2005]

"Adopting an off-kilter, slapstick approach to heroin addiction is, in modern terms, about as politically correct as mentioning nipple-piercing in a nunnery. But, then, Adam & Paul – Irish cinema's latest offering – is no cautionary tale…"

This is by far the best movie ever to give a portrait of junkies, this movie goes deep inside and shows it all inside out..

This movie is strong,good script,great casting,excellent acting.. I personally would have ranked it as my favorite's movie, there can be no denying that it is a film at the top5 of my list

Absolutely Heartbreaking,Brutal,honest,and a MUST see movie..!!!

One of the best Irish films ever..emotional tale of 2 friends in Dublin City

[rochfordsimon · 8/10 · 30 May 2020]

Fantastic Irish movie. Great, simple story of hardship, friendship, addiction and city life for the working class. Two junkies spend the day trying to score a fix.

Irish film making theses days is weak, this movie is a staple of what can be achieved with a talented crew.

Go on and watch it. Dublin is shown with marvelous cinematography.

Midnight Drug Cowboy in Dublin

[beingagain · 8/10 · 12 May 2014]

A variant Drug-ee Midnight Cowboy in Rain Drenched Dublin, two dun-fer deadheads work out how to spend the remaining hours in their own personal hell. There's some very consummate acting from the two lead roles,and lots of lovely character acting, an unashamed range of strong urban Dublin accents, some nicely comedic situations and relations, some nice bits of cinematography and some touching moments, worthy of viewing for those accepting of its strong themes of addiction poverty and no hope grime, though there some similarities between this and midnight cowboy, its updated for the modern age and stands elements on its head without too strongly pulling on the emotional levers that are obviously available, and the truth is this story is perpetual and endless, we tend to iconify and re-project that small proportion who win, but the opposite portion are the truer story, the ending was inversed and more modernist and harder to swallow, but true enough to itself. A tale for those who understand the dark end of the street is in nearly every town everywhere.

Turning dross into gold - isn't that what movies are all about?

[alan997 · 8/10 · 29 September 2014]

Proof if ever it were needed that you don't need pots of money to make a great film. Achieves the near-miraculous in making you care deeply about and fear for a couple of in many ways utterly worthless and in some quite loathsome characters.

Great dialogue, wonderful cinematography, and some of the best bits of slapstick since Buster Keaton, with acting from the two central characters that convinces utterly and even, somehow, enchants, from beginning to end. A rare gem.

I've commented on the minimum length criterion before, and I have to say my frustration with it has not diminished with time. I've said all I wanted to say. 'Omit needless words'. Enough already. If this ain't enough, the hell with it. (This paragraph is, needless to say, redundant.)

Over Rated

[demightymouse · 19 December 2004]

Touted as one of the best Irish films of the year, Adam and Paul was one huge disappointment in my opinion. With other huge titles such as Intermission, Cowboys and Angels and Man about Dog to compete with, this clumsy tale of 2 heroin addicts in inner city Dublin simply does not meet the standard.

While the acting was above average (particularly in Tom Murphy's case), the characters simply don't seem believable and the development is weak and slow. Adam and Paul both seem to morph into different characters as the plot permits: One minute they are playing with a toddler while the next they are robbing a handicapped teenager. The storyline is unstructured and tedious to say the least, with plot holes appearing left, right, and center. Meanwhile, the comic relief is dry and certain scenes seem to drift by without adding anything to the story or the character development.

Overall Adam and Paul isn't a bad movie but far from the critical acclaim it has been receiving recently. The director Lenny Abrahamson shows good potential however I believe his style would be better-suited to a more aggressive movie, as the long scenes of Adam and Paul seem to drag on behind the passive tone of the movies main characters

Very raw real movie of its time 2004

[eddieryan-66144 · 8/10 · 6 March 2022]

Ireland 2004 height of celtic tiger and prosperity for many but not all, very real and raw reality great film about heroin addicts in dublin unfortunately its exacly the same in 2023 no change and not likely to be anytime soon, well worth a watch its not comedy like described, its the way it is. A classic by the great under rated mark o halloran im a big fan of all hes irish films, i do think you woild have to be irish to truly get it, probly not for anyone that dont understand irish way of life but that makes it even better more unique.

Who's laughing at whom?

[joegreene32 · 5 January 2007]

Having watched a lot of Irish films recently, this is one of the better ones, and yet there is something off kilter in making a laugh out of junkies' dysfunctional lives. Mark Halloran's script is problematic at times – Laurel and Hardy on smack being the tag-line. But his performance is impressive; he inhabits his character well, while Tom Murphy plays the pathetic sidekick for laughs. The story is episodic, basically two heroin addicts trying to score. They wander around the city, meeting other characters and even get round to mugging a disabled person. There is a suitably jaunty soundtrack, but after a while it becomes a little repetitive. The director's background in advertising shows in the slick visuals and the whole package is well put together. It throws up interesting questions about portraying the marginalized. Are their stories being robbed to win plaudits and awards. Would a film about coke sniffing advertising folk be as interesting.. Still in a sea of mediocrity, it's worth a look. High point the resolution, low point Murphy's occasional gurning for the camera. Warning: Brendan Gleeson is not in this film.

Best Irish film ever!

[Madram · 21 September 2004]

I usually don't like Irish films but the trailer for this was funny so i had to see it and i was not disappointed! Hilarious!! I loved it! Especially Paul who is always getting injured and messes up everything,i love when he tries to smash the car window and hurts his hand.Adam is a bit darker but he is a very good portrayal of a junkie,during the bit where they rob the handicapped guy I think i was the only one in the cinema that laughed when Adam talks really slowly and clearly to him "DO YOU HAVE ANY MON-EY".It was probably meant to show how low these guys will sink to but it was still kinda funny. Also loved it when Adam is driving the car and is sayin to Paul "you see i notice things" then he crashes the car and of course poor old paul gets the brunt of it!

But what about the piece at the end,I was wondering if Adam has overdosed and is dead or is he just asleep? Probably just in a deep sleep but i think the ending would be better if he did O'd