The Commitments (1991)

[Guest AG/DC]

Not only is this the only film role of Glen Hansard prior to Once, it ends with him busking on Grafton Street, which is of course how Once opens, leaving the inadvertant impression that the poor guy has been busking on Grafton Street non-stop for 17 years.

Cha doesn't know the Corrs at all, but she immediately recognized a pudgy-faced Andrea Corr (who played Jimmy's sister Sharon) from her role in The Boys (and Girl) from County Clare.

Also appearing, as the kid afraid to audition in the street, is Peter Rowan, the cover subject of U2's War and Boy.

[soupcan]

Loved this movie. Saw it when it came out back in '91.

Immediately bought the soundtrack and I still listen to it often.

[metirish]

Weird, was talking about it yesterday while out for dinner , loved it and the soundtrack beat all. I didn't know that about the Coors girl or the U2 cover boy....interesting.


Andrew Strong had an amazing voice, saw he had a Greatest Hits out when I was home a few years back....I thought ,really.

[Vic Sage]

this makes me want to do an Alan Parker filmography. A really interesting filmmaker... even when he sucks.

[Guest sharpie]

Go for it, Vic.

I saw it when it came out and liked it.

[Frayed Knot]

metirish wrote: Andrew Strong had an amazing voice ...

And was only 16/17 y/o when making that movie.


I loved that flick.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

I finally jumped on the Netflix bandwagon and was trolling the back pages in here for some stuff, and came across this. Anyone else read the book? I really enjoyed it. Guess I should give the movie a shot sometime.

[Guest AG/DC]

The book has charms the movie couldn't touch, but obviouosly it goes the other way too. Roddy Doyle's style is very Joycian --- written in snippets of dialogue offset by hyphens, making you feel like you're in the room overhearing this story.

And being in the room with a nine-piece band of naifs just learning how to play music they're unsure of is a fun place to be.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

A fun movie with a lot of great music. The Barrytown Trilogy is an excellent read, as well.

[Willets Point]

Roddy Doyle is one of my favorite authors and pretty much all of his books are worth reading. The Barrytown books - The Commitments,The Snapper & The Van - are pretty easy "mind candy" reads but his later works are more literary. A Star Called Henry is my personal favorite.

[Vic Sage]

Alan Parker filmography thread:
http://cranepoolforum.qwknetllc.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=8442

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Willets Point wrote: Roddy Doyle is one of my favorite authors and pretty much all of his books are worth reading. The Barrytown books - The Commitments,The Snapper & The Van - are pretty easy "mind candy" reads but his later works are more literary. A Star Called Henry is my personal favorite.

Yeah, Henry was my introduction to him and I loved it. I'm 2/3 through the Barrytown ones. I'm a sucker for dialect writing.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Solid. Gave it a 4. Love how "deadly" was such a commonly used adjective.

Thinking of hiring all two of 'em to play my next house party.