Harsh light cast on the devastation of alcohol on families in new Irish film
By SHARON GREER
VANCOUVER –The 13th Annual European Union Film Festival (November 26 to December 9, 2010) at the Pacific Cinematheque in Vancouver proved to be very rewarding in its film submissions.
I saw seven films, all good in varying degrees, with one of them being the Irish film, Eden, directed by first-time feature filmmaker Declan Recks. Eden is an adaptation of Irish playwright Eugene O’Brien’s drama about the disintegration of a marriage.
As their 10th wedding anniversary approaches, Breda and Billy Farrell, a couple living in small town Ireland (filmed in Tullamore, Co. Offaly and surrounding areas) decide to go out on a rare night off without the children. Having wed very young and raising two children their relationship has dwindled down to boredom and routine.
Billy develops an obsession with a much younger and unattainable woman which leads to an unpleasant outcome.
He spends most of his time while not working, drinking with the lads in the local pub while Breda remains at home with the children.
Billy’s drinking reflects the abnormally high consumption of alcohol by young men taking place all over Ireland.
Scenes of his drunkenness play a large role in the destructive collapse of this matrimonial alliance – a reflection of the alcoholism so prevalent in young people in present day Ireland.
Actors Eileen Walsh and Aidan Kelly in the roles of this unhappy couple capture beautifully a heart-rending tale, unequivocally illustrating two poignant, desperate and lonely individuals as they each struggle to contain their miserable lives.
Both actors adeptly manipulate the emotional complexities of their characters, rendering them achingly human.
Cork actress Eileen Walsh’s tender performance in particular shows her ability to convey aptly the tension implicit in their strained relationship. She won the 2008 Tribeca Best Actress award in New York for her performance in Eden.
In an interview on New York’s only Irish radio station, Radio Irish, she explained how comfortable it was working with Aidan Kelly as they had just finished a play together at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.
Despite its scenes of gloominess and despair, Eden is ultimately a film about the exploration of character as these two individuals try to cope under a very difficult situation. In the end though the film does leave the audience with a feeling of hope. |
