It's based on the true story of Martin Cahill (Brendan Gleeson), a famous Irish outlaw. If you've seen any Irish movies of the past few years -- I Went Down, The Butcher Boy, Hear My Song, The Commitments -- you'll recognize many of the actors (they're only missing Colm Meaney and Stephen Rea). Although, as my father mentioned, there's no reason for Jon Voight to be cast as Cahill's nemesis, Police Inspector Kenny, otherwise the casting is excellent (not to imply that Voight does a bad job -- he's good, but why not cast an Irish actor?). Particularly notable is the boy from The Butcher Boy (Eamonn Owens) playing the younger version of Cahill. He and Gleeson look uncannily alike -- especially the mischievous twinkle in their eyes.
It's quite funny and a deft blend of intimate character study and bank-robbing action. (There's one particularly sick joke that you'll only get if you know John Boorman, director of Deliverance, also directed this: Cahill, who has a fondness for pig-adorned t-shirts, at one point sports a shirt bearing the legend "Squeal Like a Pig." I swear, I don't know how men can laugh at that.) Anyway, I highly recommend this movie -- there's not much else like it out there.
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