Waking Ned Devine Review
by Nick Amado (namado AT concentric DOT net)January 18th, 1999
Review: Waking Ned Devine
Starring: Ian Bannen, David Kelley
Directed by Kirk Jones
Approx 91 min
In these days of overlong movies (Meet Joe Black, The Thin Red Line, The Mask Of Zorro) it is a shame that films like Waking Ned Devine can't be longer than a paltry 90 minutes. This is just a cute movie, even through its mildly risque subject matter.
Old friends Jackie (Bannen) and Michael (Kelley) try to find the lottery winner (they deduce must live in their dinky town of about 60) so that they might kiss up to him and share the winnings. Through process of elimination, they find that it must be lovable old Ned Devine, who they find sitting in front of his TV, clutching the winning lottery ticket in his cold dead hand. What results is thuroughly amusing, as Jackie tries to convince his wife that not claiming it would be wrong, and that they could really benefit. After all, old Ned won't miss it. Rather than divulge the later twists and turns, I'll stop here merely pointing out that Jackie and Michael get into all sorts of trouble in their little sleepy Irish villiage.
Bannen and Kelly are a perfect pair. One slightly stout, the other as thin as a rail. Both getting on in years, they make such a cute pair of old codgers. Waking Ned Devine may even be seen as a "Full Monty" for the geriatric set, especially since Kelly gets buff-o for one amusing scene.
Waking Ned Devine is by no means perfect, but it is so sincere and touching that it looks so much better than most films. The performances by everyone in the town are great, particularly the two leads. There is one twist at the end which I find unnecessary, but it hardly ruins the picture.
Writer/director Kirk Jones should be held up as an example to all those Hollywood screenwriters. Scripts as creative and endearing as this should be the norm, not the exception. Perhaps it makes us appreciate this wonderful film even more. Had I held off on my year's best/worst list for another day, Waking Ned Devine (officially released in late November of 98) surely would have graced the short group of the year's finest films. It is light, but thought provoking and sweet. I can't think of anyone who shouldn't see (or wouldn't enjoy) this film.
* * * 1/2 out of * * * * stars
©1999 Nick Amado
check out my reviews at www.writerboy.com/nick
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