A film about what leads a child to commit a terrible crime is especially relevant in the light of recent shootings in America.

     The story is seen through Francie's eyes, a tearaway in Ireland of the early 1960's. After stealing the precious comics of town newcomer Phillip Nugent, Phillip's mother, recently returned from England, harangues Francie's family, calling them pigs. This starts the ball rolling, which takes Francie to reform school, mental hospital and the eventual heinous crime. Along the way Francie losses his family and his best friend Joe. However, when the town women ask what chance Francie ever had, we can see that the lad is not totally to blame for his fate.

     His imagination is fuelled by TV serials like The Lone Ranger and The Fugitive, B-Movies like The Brain From Aurous, (a much-maligned personal favourite), and the growing Cuban missile-crisis. This mix reminded me of the film Matinee. (Children unknowingly absorbing the paranoias of the grown-ups about them). Francie can also interact with the narrator, suggesting that the film is his untrustworthy memories of the events. Thus Sinead O'Connor's appearance as the Virgin Mary need not have actually happend. Other cameos include comedian Sean Hughes as a psychiatrist and the original book's author as the town drunk.

     Neil Jordan has proved himself to be an imaginative director when it comes to genre subjects, be it 'Werewolves, (The Company of Wolves), Ghosts, (High Spirits), Vampires, (Interview With a Vampire) and now this B-Movie influenced fantasy. I hope he will continue to experiment with such ideas, (a version of The Mummy perhaps?), as well as forge his career in the mainstream with such films as The Crying Game and Michael Collins.

Reviewed by Suzy Kuba.