Cast: Peter McDonald, Flora Montgomery, Marie Mullen, Maynard Eziashi
Director: Kieron J. Walsh
Producer: Lynda Myles
Screenplay: Roddy Doyle
Cinematography: Ashley Rowe
Music: Richard Hartley
U.S. Distributor: The Shooting Gallery
With its constant dipping into the deep wells of cinematic history, Kieron J. Walsh's directorial debut, When Brendan Met Trudy, is guaranteed to delight movie-goers. A romantic comedy set in Ireland, When Brendan Met Trudy is peppered with twists and saturated with references to old movies. Working from a script written by Roddy Doyle (the first time the noted author of such fare as The Commitments and The Snapper has developed a feature screenplay without adapting it from one of his books), Walsh has crafted a likable, lighthearted romance between two complete opposites. It's an enjoyable film that doesn't try for anything especially deep. The "average" viewer will probably see this as a fairly standard romantic comedy, but movie buffs will recognize When Brendan Met Trudy's second layer, which pays homage to a number of classic pictures through oblique references, lifted quotes, and re-creations of entire scenes.
Brendan (Peter McDonald) is a quiet schoolteacher whose real passion is film. He's also what could be considered a movie snob, because his tastes run far afield of mainstream fare towards the work of Fellini and Godard. He's a shy guy who has not had much success with meeting women, and he recognizes the hole in his life, at one point commenting, "I kept myself busy, but something was missing..." As it turns out, that "something" is Trudy (Flora Montgomery), a bubbly blonde he encounters one night at a bar. Despite their oil-and-water personalities, they mix pretty well once things get shaken up. After a rocky start, their romance takes off, but Brendan's naturally suspicious nature begins to assert itself. Why is his girlfriend sneaking out in the middle of the night dressed all in black? Could it have something to do with a serial castrater who is roaming the streets attacking unsuspecting men? Or is he jumping to conclusions?
There are times when When Brendan Met Trudy's comedy feels more forced than it should. The material is funny, but there are occasions when Walsh, perhaps worried that his audience won't "get it", goes overboard highlighting a joke. Both actors do fine jobs, although Montgomery, playing the freespirit, is more easily noticed. McDonald, however, is equally as effective - his low-key performance as Brendan is right for the role. The two work well together, striking sparks when the need arises. As a romantic comedy, this movie has all the requisite elements to meet viewer expectations.
What elevates it to a point above the vast romantic comedy continuum, however, is its frequent and effective treatment of movies - something that will likely be lost upon the casual viewer. Walsh, who clearly has as much affection for the classics as his lead character does, borrows liberally from Sunset Boulevard, The African Queen, The Quiet Man, The Producers, The Searchers, Once Upon a Time In the West, and others. The final scene includes an amusing steal from Singin' In the Rain, and there's a funny bit involving subtitles that reminded me of something equally clever done in Stanley Tucci's The Impostors (another movie that paid homage to its cinematic forebears). There's also a blink-and-you'll-miss-it special appearance by a well-known actor, but I won't spoil the fun by revealing who it is. (He gets a tongue-in-cheek "Avec la participation exceptionelle" credit at the end, though.) Even the film's title conjures up images of a major mainstream hit of about a decade ago.
When Brendan Met Trudy unquestionably offers a more rewarding experience to those with a deep love of and familiarity with movie history. However, recognizing that a significant portion of their potential audience does not belong in that category, the filmmakers have not done anything to alienate the average movie-goer who wants nothing more complicated than to be entertained for 90 minutes. That should give the film at least a fighting chance to have some degree of success during its limited two-week run as one of The Shooting Gallery's Spring 2001 offerings. (It is easily the most accessible of the six films on their roster.)
© 2001 James Berardinelli