Black Irish (2007)
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31% of critics liked it
(13 reviews) -
60% of users liked it
(1,654 ratings)
A young man struggles to grow up with principles as his family begins to self-destruct around him in this coming of age drama. Cole McKay (Michael Angarano) is a boy in his middle-teens growing up in an Irish-Catholic family in Boston. While Cole has dreams of playing major league baseball some day,… More A young man struggles to grow up with principles as his family begins to self-destruct around him in this coming of age drama. Cole McKay (Michael Angarano) is a boy in his middle-teens growing up in an Irish-Catholic family in Boston. While Cole has dreams of playing major league baseball some day, his parents Desmond (Brendan Gleeson) and Margaret (Melissa Leo) are blind to his ambitions, and his older brother Terry (Tom Guiry) is a petty criminal who is unwittingly drawing Cole into his orbit. While Margaret is obsessed with projecting an image that the McKay family are happy and God-fearing folk, Desmond has been sinking deeper into depression ever since he lost his job, and his marriage is slowly but surely falling apart. The family's pride takes a body blow when Cole's teenage sister Kathleen (Emily Van Camp) discovers she's pregnant, but Cole decides it's time he took on some adult responsibilities, and gets himself a part-time job at a restaurant. Black Irish was the first directorial effort for screenwriter Brad Gann. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Critic Reviews
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Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
While the film has many well-observed moments...it ultimately suffers from its relentless piling on of crises.
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, Los Angeles Times
Black Irish boasts many memorable scenes and fine characterizations but ultimately plays more like a series of snapshots come to life than as an organically satisfying story.
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Ty Burr, Boston Globe
A small-bore Southie coming-of-age drama whose heart is just a bit bigger than its cliches.
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Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
The film draws strength from sensitively scrutinizing character, but tends to confuse Catholic guilt with narrative redemption.
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Kam Williams, NewsBlaze
Irish coming-of-age Beantown drama reminiscent of Angela's Ashes, especially in terms of maintaining a relentlessly pessimistic and morose tone.
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Cast
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Brendan Gleeson
as Desmond
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Michael Angarano
as Cole
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Tom Guiry
as Terry
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Emily VanCamp
as Kathleen
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Melissa Leo
as Margaret
- Michael Rispoli
- Francis Capra
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Scott Winters
as Doctor
- Bates Wilder
- Bonnie Dennison
- Kevin O'Donnell
- Steve Flynn
