John Crowley's Intermission is an energetic suite of stories about people desperate for love in present-day gritty Ireland (or maybe only "what passes for love," as a voice sings on the soundtrack) so desperate that they commit crimes against others (a feckless kidnapping of Deirdre, the delicious Kely Macdonald) or against themselves. A case of the latter is Sally (Shirley Henderson), mentally abused and jilted by a lover, who has withdrawn into a special kind of bitterness and warped self-image. There is a strong inter-generational theme, with three May-December romances that meet with varying degrees of success, and a powerful breakdown scene between Sally and her mother (Ger Ryan). I like the touches of Tarantinoesque consumer and pop culture: the car chase underscored by traditional Celtic music, petty thief Lehiff's preoccupation with kitchen equipment, John's indigestible condimentation of tea with brown sauce. Bring your phrasebook and enjoy the ride.

posted: 5:12:31 PM  

One last Laramie link: a Guardian story about the trial, and a quote from Harry Woods. I don't think I'll ever know whether Andy's and my Harry is anything like his real-life counterpart. Probably he isn't. But I am very moved to have created that man, and I shuddered a bit when I/he left the stage for the last time last night. Goodbye, Harry.

posted: 12:11:11 PM