Waking Ned Devine Review
by Joy Wyse (jwyse AT onlineworks DOT com)December 14th, 1998
Review: WAKING NED DEVINE
Starring: Ian Bannen, David Kelly
Review by: Joy Wyse
There is more than one definition for the word, Wake, and when you learn that this is an Irish movie, you realize which definition it has. This is a truly enjoyable, funny film from the moment it begins until the final sunset.
There are few people who haven’t dreamed of winning the lottery. All those millions of dollars would certainly change our lives, but how? Would we spend it? Invest it? Give it away? Share it with friends? When a winning lottery ticket is sold in the town of Tulaigh Mhor, Ireland, a town of only 52 residents, the question is….who owns the ticket?
Ian Bannen and David Kelly set out to uncover the winner by being especially nice to the one[s] they suspect hold the coveted ticket. First, they buy drinks for “Pig” Finn when he suddenly appears in a sports car. Then, the lady at the post office [who sold the ticket]. But, the real comedy begins when they discover that Ned Devine bought the winner, and the shock of seeing the numbers was too much for him. As Ned had no heirs, the money will go to the state. They are sure that Ned wouldn’t have wanted that to happen, so they concoct a scheme to claim the jackpot for themselves.
The humor that follows is clever and original. There is a scene with David Kelly on a motor scooter that will stay in my memory for years. The telling of the plot cannot take the place of seeing it for yourself. In the course of the story, you learn about most of the 52 residents of the town. You get to know them and you care about their lives. And, the question remains, what would Ned Devine have done with the money? The plot takes one turn after another, but they are always believable. You can foresee some of the things that occur, but they aren’t always what you expect.
An audience member remarked to me that she was surprised that there were no four-letter words in an Irish movie. It was a strange statement, I thought. The same could be said about American movies. Waking Ned Devine is an excellent example of wonderful dialogue that doesn’t need to stoop to that level for humor.
I cannot wait to see this movie again. And, I want to take others to see it as well. I hope that this gets the same word of mouth that “The Full Monty” got. People who see it will love it, even though there are no big name stars. I give it an A-.
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