WHEN BRENDAN MET TRUDY
Ireland, 2000, 95 minutes, Colour.
Peter Mc Donald, Flora Montgomery, Pauline Mc Lynn.
Directed by Kieron J. Walsh.
One reason for seeing this slight, brief drama is that the screenplay is an original from novelist, Roddy Doyle, moving a bit uptown from his Barrytown stories of a poorer Dublin, The Commitments, The Snapper, The Van. Who would have thought that Roddy Doyle was such a movie buff? He has not spent all his time writing but passed many an hour in cinemas or watching videos so that his central character, Brendan, a shy school teacher, disillusioned with his work and life, except for movies and choir practice at the local church, can be a film-quoting buff-fanatic. And this is quite amusing if you know some of the references. But, if not, there is the portrait of an awkward Irish lad (which Peter Mc Donald has proven he can do well in such films as I Went Down, Saltwater) who by chance encounters the bumptious Trudy (Flora Montgomery), breaking and entering by trade, who brings him out of himself, even to robbing his school computers and appearing in race protests on Irish television. In many ways, this is a bit of Irish fluff, but pleasing enough while it is on the screen in front of you.
1.An entertaining story, characters, odd situations? Romance?
2.The writing of Roddy Doyle – his novels, his Irish characters, Dublin? His insights here? Comic touches?
3.The Dublin settings, the city, the streets, the pubs, the church? The musical score? ‘Hail, Queen of Heaven’ and ‘Panis Angelicus’? The other songs?
4.Brendan as a film buff, the sequences shown, the westerns, John Wayne, Once Upon a Time in the West, the European films? Their relevance to the plot?
5.The portrait of Brendan, a quiet man, in the choir, living by himself, the dreary life of teaching, his not knowing the boys’ names, his daydreaming? In the pub, the encounter with Trudy? Her getting him to sing ‘Panis Angelicus’? The bonds between the two? Her not turning up for the film? His meeting her, the conversations? The bonds between them? The sexual affair? The effect on Brendan? At school, with the children, with the headmaster – and the headmaster’s broadmindedness? Discovering that Trudy was a thief? Her persuading him to share her burglaries? His taking her to the family, their reaction, the swearing? Her irritation with them? His decision to rob the computers? His hanging on to the bricks, falling, Trudy taking the blame? Going to visit her in prison? The humorous ending with the four children and their careers – and the fifth waster child? A sympathetic portrait?
6.The portrait of Trudy, sprightly, in the pub, cheeky, getting a drink from Brendan? Forcing him to sing? Agreeing to go to the films, not turning up? Her falling in love with him? The discussions about the films, going to the pictures? The drinks and the friends? The discovery that she was a thief, her justification, taking Brendan on burglaries? Trashing the house? The visit to Brendan’s family, their not liking her? Her finally being caught, taking the blame, in prison – and Brendan waiting for her?
7.The background of the school, the kids, their attitude towards Brendan, his singing to them and their shock? The headmaster and his open-mindedness?
8.The family, the eccentric Irish, Brendan’s mother and her toughness, Nuala and her swearing, the little boy, the rest of the family? Meals? Seeing Brendan on television?
9.Brendan meeting Trudy’s friends, the man from Nigeria? Seeing him being deported, going to the demonstration, on television, protesting, being arrested? The family’s reaction?
10.A light Irish comedy, eccentric? With some insights?
