Film: Mrs. Brown's Boys D' Movie

This week, we had a midweek movie on telly - doesn't always happen. And this week.. would you believe, it was Mrs. Brown's Boys: D' Movie! Now, I was in two minds whether to watch this, with its poor ratings - but I do enjoy the tv show.. and my mother was keen.. and so I said we'd give it a shot.

So, as you'd expect, it includes the whole clan, with a feature-length story and several guest performers. In fact, we spent most of the film gawping at famous faces (famous in Ireland, at least). Comedian June Rodgers shows up as a stallholder on Moore Street, where, for the purposes of the story, Mrs. Brown also has a stall. Simon Delaney is the lawyer that Mrs. Brown hires when nefarious characters try to oust her from her stall. Sorcha Cusack (unmistakeably a Cusack, although I wasn't sure which) is the judge presiding over Buster's trial for matters unrelated. Jon Kenny is the injured party in that case. Radio presenter Joe Duffy plays himself, interviewing Mrs. Brown, who has become a national celebrity - and tv presenter Eamonn Holmes comes on as a newscaster, giving the tv news story. Frank Kelly is the judge in her case. Also apparently features Keith Duffy, who fairly escaped my attention as a security guard! I mustn't have been paying enough attention.

Well, I am very glad I watched it! Comedy is subjective, and whether you enjoy this depends very much on how you feel about the tv show. The comedy is completely madcap - and we found the extended chase scene utterly hilarious. Plenty of bad language, of course - only to be expected. And all the familiar elements we love are there too. Watch out for bloopers over the closing credits.. one of which was actually left in the scene! Oh, and there's an excellent soundtrack. Quite simply, if you like the tv show and want more, this is the film for you.

Meantime, film again on Saturday. The next film on my list has actually jumped in rating since I listed it - so the plan is to watch Budrus, on Reel Palestine again. This is the true story of how a village mobilised people from all factions to prevent the Israeli army building a wall through the middle of it - which would, incidentally, destroy their olive groves. Only became a feasible protest when the women got involved, it turns out! (Didn't work, in the end, of course..)