Jimmy’s Hall Review
RYAN: When I heard about this film, I had hoped it would be a cute movie about dancing and the fight for justice in early 1930s Ireland. But As it turns out, it’s basically a period remake of Footloose without any good music or dancing.
CAROLINE: (laughs) Oh no! That sounds like a tragedy and kind of unimaginable. Isn’t it based on a true story?
RYAN: Yes and the biopic aspect of it is alright. I wasn’t familiar with Jimmy Gralton’s story. It is a nice slice of history but sadly, it feels that way. The whole start of the film feels more like a history lesson than a movie. There’s reading to do to get you up to speed and I must admit, I wasn’t that interested.
CAROLINE: Well maybe it’s just not an appealing moment in history to you.
RYAN: I don’t think it’s that. It’s more about the storytelling – the script, pacing… even the casting.
CAROLINE: Weak links in the cast?
RYAN: Yes. Aside from Jimmy, played by Barry Ward, this cast feels like a bunch of locals who were just plucked from obscurity and they really cannot act. And sure enough, for some, this is their only credit.
CAROLINE: Ouch. Well that is a problem.
RYAN: It’s also one of those movies that doesn’t have much story happening. There is the main plot but then not many subplots. Jimmy has some relationships and I had hopes of a flashback at one point, but it was all done with audio narration and didn’t show you the scene in the past. That was a really disappointing copout. Perhaps due to budget, but still – it lessons the entertainment value of the film.
CAROLINE: I totally understand.
RYAN: You can tell it’s trying to be charming, and some of the cinematography is nice. The Irish countryside looks beautiful but that’s not enough to really engage an audience. The story deals with Jimmy returning home to Ireland after being in America. And politically, with the church running things, he struggles to reopen his dance hall.
CAROLINE: Ah – that’s why you compared it to Footloose.
RYAN: Yes. It’s just a very sparse film all around and not worth your time.
