Film Review: Holy Water

About Holy Water (2009)Comedy set in rural Ireland. Four bachelors living in the remote spa town of Kilcoulin’s Leap feel that life is passing them by. With no career opportunities, very few eligible women, and (apart from the handful of geriatrics their band plays for on Saturday nights) no nightlife to speak of, it seems they are fated to live out the rest of their lives in a state of crippling boredom. But when local postman Podger Byrnes (Cornelius Clarke) hatches a daring plan to hijack a shipment of Viagra and sell it on the open market in Amsterdam, Kilcoulin’s sad decline is reversed overnight.

Starring: John Lynch, Adam Astill, Angeline Ball, Cian Barry, Ray Callaghan

Directed by: Tom Reeve

Runtime: 93 minutes

Studio: Centurion

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Review: Holy Water 

Tom Reeve’s comedy is set in the village of Kilcoulins Leap in Ireland. Now in decline, many of the locals are struggling to earn a living with the lucrative spa business of the past more or less obsolete and even the famous Holy Well not drawing in tourism. A group of bandmates – Podger Byrnes (Cornelius Clarke), Tom Gaffney (John Lynch), Donal O’Connell (Lochlann O’Mearain) and Sean Casy (Cian Barry) – decide to hijack a truck full of Viagra. Their plan is to take the goods to Amsterdam and make a decent profit. However, things go a little bit wrong.

Podger initially comes up with the plan to steal a supply of Viagra. He and his friends are struggling badly at the outset. Tom is in danger of losing the hotel he owns with his sister Geraldine (Susan Lynch) and Donal is horrifying everyone by considering moving to England, forsaking the local barmaid Kate (Deirdre Mullins) who he clearly has feelings for. Our four friends manage to steal the goods even though it is a far from well-executed operation. When three Americans led by Cory Williams (Linda Hamilton) appear in search of the missing loot, the net begins to close on the Irish quartet. They decide to stash the Viagra in the Holy Well only for it to leak into the village water supply. I don’t need to tell you what happens next.

I do enjoy comedy from Ireland. Father Ted remains a masterpiece for me and the likes of Dara O’Briain and Dylan Moran are among the funniest I’ve seen in recent years. Holy Water adds to Ireland’s magical touch with comedy. It’s a silly film no doubt and does get very randy later on but it’s amusing and entertaining with a warm and friendly cast. Hamilton blends in nicely in the Irish village and in no way overshadows the rest of the cast. She’s more toned down than Sarah Connor but still a welcome addition here.

Holy Water is a simple and funny story about four struggling friends doing what they can to make ends meet. Their numerous bungled attempts will raise many a smile and the joy they inadvertently bring to lift the gloom in the whole village is just brilliant. There’s something in the water in Kilcoulins Leap, just ask the locals.

Verdict: 4/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

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