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movie review - I Went Down

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

This is a very funny little Irish film about two decent men on a gangster's errand. The cinematography, the storyline, and the characters are very entertaining, as is the introduction to each scene by an amusing summary. Its setting, characters, and violence are all very very Irish, which makes this all the more endearing (I just got back from Ireland myself).

One of the would-be gangsters is a young man (born in '71, a good year 8) ) who's just completed three months in prison for taking a fall for his flaky best friend, who returns the favour by hooking up with our hero's woman. Upon returning from prison, he meets up with his friend just in time to rescue him from a further fowl-up after he's cheated some thugs. When he stands up for his friend yet again, he winds up before the thugs' boss who presents the job as a way out.

The other half of the duo is an older man who was presented with a similar 'way out' some yeards back, and who has been working for the gangster for years. He's also separated from his wife after too much prison time.

The two are equally appalled at their situations, and equally stuck amidst the slimy circle of 'old-boy' crooks with whom they're dealing. Just to survive, they're forced to turn tables on their would-be masters, and make peace with each other, themselves, etc.

The title has two meanings; the first refers to the trek the two men take from Dublin down to Cork and the countryside surrounding Dublin's second city.

Recommended.