Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Black Guelph (2023)


Canto is a not so young  man in a lower class part of Dublin is looking to get out but it doesn’t seem to be possible. He’s been thrown out of his house by his girlfriend who doesn’t want him near his kid. His dad is just out of jail and is squatting in an abandoned orphanage. The past is haunting everyone, as is a local kingpin who is trolling the neighborhood looking to get paid back – and Canto owes more than he can come up with.

This is a bleak examination of life on the downside of Dublin. Everyone is hamstrung by toxic traditions, bad choices and dark secrets in the past. It’s the story of a group of people who can’t get out of their own way even though they desperate to do so.

One of the best films I’ve seen for this year’s Dances With Films THE BLACK GUELPH is the feel sad film of the festival. It’s film that feels more like real life than a drama and as such it hits hard. I didn’t want to watch the lives imploding and wanted to look away, but I liked them so much I couldn’t not see what happened to them. It’s such  a good film that I can’t believe it’s director John Connors‘ first feature.

I really liked the film, but the downbeat edge to it makes it a film I may not revisit.

My reservation about revisiting it aside, this is definitely one you’ll want to see at least once.

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