ALLAN HUNTER at the Movies

NORTHERN IRELAND is a place where the wounds of the past are still raw but the possibilities for the future are boundless. ‘The Mighty Celt’ is a thoughtful, coming of age tale that attempts to reflect some of those realities.

It is a modest film that will probably seem quite at home on television but commendable performances from the likes of Robert Carlyle and Gillian Anderson mean that it merits attention as a big screen attraction.

Renowned for her television success in ‘The X-Files’, Anderson gave an outstanding performance in ‘The House Of Mirth’, but has had little chance to shine since then. She is the real revelation of ‘The Mighty Celt’, adopting a generally convincing Irish accent to play Belfast mother Kate.

Teenage boxer Tyrone McKenna plays her son Donal, a young lad with a passion for dogs. He works for greyhound trainer Good Joe (Ken Stott) and takes a fancy to one particular greyhound that he names The Mighty Celt.

Joe vows that if the dog can win three races he will be given to Donal as a gift. Around the same time, former paramilitary O (Robert Carlyle) steps back into Kate’s life. The wary, fragile bond that is rebuilt between the erstwhile lovers is played out against the boy’s relationship with his beloved mutt and his battles with Joe, a Republican sympathiser who believes that O has sold out.

‘The Mighty Celt’ weaves together personal drama and politics in a manner reminiscent of Ken Loach, but the short running time leaves little room for the story to develop or for writer-director Pearse Elliott to deliver many surprises along the way. It is well-made, but just a little too pat and predictable for its own good.

General release, selected cinemas
Director: Pearse Elliott
Stars: Robert Carlyle, Gillian Anderson, Ken Stott, Tyrone McKenna, Richard Dormer
Screenwriter: Pearse Elliott
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 85 mins
Country: Ireland/UK
Year: 2005

© Allan Hunter, 2005