WHITE IRISH DRINKERS
US, 2010, 109 minutes, Colour.
Nick Thurston, Geoffrey Wigdor, Karen Allen, Stephen Lang, Peter Riegert, Leslie Murphy, Zachary Booth, Henry Zebrowski.
Directed by John Gray.
White Irish Drinkers is a Brooklyn story. It shows young men in the 1980s and their growing up in the first decade of the 21st century.
The title refers to the Irish in Brooklyn, their background in contrast with the African Americans, and the Irish tradition of drinking. And the devastation that this has in families.
Stephen Lang does a variation on his hard-drinking father performance and is very effective. An older Karen Allen is the long-suffering mother. Newcomers Nick Thurston and Geoffrey Wigdor a very good as the two sons, Thurston as the artistic son who emulates his gangster brother, Wigdor as the gangster brother who eventually has an admiration for the achievement of his younger brother. Peter Riegert appears as the proprietor of one of the few remaining cinemas in Brooklyn.
The film focuses on the younger brother, tempted to become a thief like his older brother but failing to follow through. He is a very good painter, is reluctant to go from Brooklyn to be further educated but finally makes a decision. He also has an encounter with a young woman who was at school with him, who pretends she is a travel agent executive but is really also a woman frightened of leaving Brooklyn.
While the film shows the interactions of the characters, there is a situation where it appears that the Rolling Stones are going to appear for one hour at the local cinema. There are preparations, the older brother intends to rob the theatre, the loan shark is determined to get money back from the proprietor. This provides dilemmas for the younger brother and whether he will participate in the robbery or not. In the meantime, the father has clashes with his older son yet reveals his concern for him.
Ultimately, with the mother’s blessing, the younger son leaves Brooklyn with the young woman and his friends who have gone to college. But his final gesture towards his father is to punch him on behalf of his brother.
The film is a variation on many films that look at this kind of family in Brooklyn – but is quite effective. It was written and directed by John Gray, an eclectic writer-director, mainly of material for television, with such films as The Day Lincoln Was Shot, the remake of Brian’s Son and Helter Skelter.
1. A Brooklyn story, contemporary, built on the past, the Irish in Brooklyn, hard workers, the world of crime, the world of bars and drinking, the Catholic background, young people trapped in this environment? Hopes and possibilities?
2. The atmosphere of Brooklyn, the streets, homes, rooms and basements, the La Fayette cinema? The workplaces, the police precincts? Bars? The sense of realism? The score?
3. The title, the explanation, the traditions, in the succeeding generations, in the modern generation? The title and stereotypes?
4. A portrait of two brothers, their age, their experiences, their relationships, Danny older and tough, going into crime, the jewellery robbery, connections with the fence, his criticisms and condemnation of Brian? At home, the clashes with his father, love for his mother? Ray and his getting out of prison? The fights with Ray? The plan to rob the theatre, the pressure on Brian, his being a role model, the plan, Brian agreeing? The memories of the past, the camp, the tent, Danny protecting Brian? Brian unwilling to participate in the robbery? Danny and the crowd, the knife, talking to Brian, his envy of Brian, his father and his bailing him out of prison, their fight? The meal with his mother? Listening to his father’s story of saving him when he was young? Danny’s death, the funeral? The mother and her story of the camp that Danny should have gone on, how it may have changed his life, his being trapped in Brooklyn, the waste of a life?
5. Brian as younger, weaker, Danny protecting him? Brian’s art and his skills? Meeting his friends in the bars? The white Irish drinkers? In the bar, meeting Shauna? Their past, her story about the travel agency, her travel, her hopes, getting out of Brooklyn? Their going to the cemetery, the naked run through the cemetery, the sexual relationship, her admiration for his art, stopping the relationship? His giving her the gift of the painting of the cemetery incident? Her being at the theatre, the truth about her not having travelled? Her being at Danny’s funeral? The friends at the bar, Todd, his getting out of Brooklyn, going to college in Pittsburgh, the possibilities? The others thinking of moving out? Brian wanting to stay, his mother finding the basement, seeing the art and her being at a loss? Going to the police station, the father bailing out his son? Brian’s decision not to steal the money, Whitey and his gift, as a father figure, Brian offering it to Danny to get out of Brooklyn, the crowd at the theatre, wanting their money back, Danny and his fight, being stabbed, his death? Brian’s final talk with his mother, decision to go, stopping and punching his father?
6. The portrait of the parents, the mother good and patient, the very hot meals, the father at work, the past, the camp story, the injury to Danny, grief? The father’s drinking, his workmates? Danny and the fight, the taunting? The sad story about Danny, the bail, the fight in the street, Brian hitting him? His wanting to shake hands?
7. Whitey, the cinema, his debt, Brian as an equivalent son, the possibility of the Rolling Stones coming, the equipment, the advertising, the crowds, the reaction, offering the gift of money to Brian? The loan shark coming to demand his money?
8. Brian and his friends, the discussions in the bar, the friend who decided to stay, training to be a garbage collector, his security, his happiness?
9. Shauna, her background, her friends, being trapped, the interaction with Brian, finally leaving with him?
10. The world of Brooklyn, young people being trapped – staying or leaving? A microcosm of situations in other parts of America and the world?
