Wednesday October 26
10am, 2:30pm, 5pm, 7:30pm
Director Philip Doherty
Black Comedy
Ireland
95 minutes
Redemption of a Rogue is basically a series of little setups and stings strung together by an overarching story that involves Jimmy’s inglorious return to his hometown to see his father (Hugh O’Brien) before he dies. When the abusive and not-much-missed old man dies, he stipulates in his will that Jimmy and his brother Damien (Kieran Roche) can’t inherit if they bury their father on a rainy day. Right on cue, the heavens open and it sluices down for days, long enough for Jimmy to start up an awkward flirtation with local drug dealer/chanteuse Masha (Aisling O’Mara). We also learn that Damien is in debt to some very nasty people. Eventually, the locals start to blame the Cullen brothers’ refusal to bury their father for the unceasing precipitation.
As a story of emotional growth, the film slightly overreaches, but it’s entertaining as a collection of odd characters, unpredictable events, funny ideas and melancholy songs. –Edward Porter, Sunday Times, UK
The film is full of ideas. It is also full of humour, from running jokes to visual gags. – Aine O’Connor, Sunday Independent, Ireland