Round Ireland with a Fridge reviews
Review by on 28 Sep 2010
Amusing if not hilarious.
Review by on 26 Sep 2010
after a series of dull titles such as THE TOWN, THE HOLE, SALT and the likes, it's refreshing to see a title that makes you want to see the film and gives you ample detail of the plot without giving too much away. And the man who performed the act of the title, thought up the title, wrote the screenplay based off the book that documents the act performed in the title and stars as himself in the film with the title is comedian Tony Hawks, who came up with this one of a kind experience after a drunken bet with an old friend. The film was directed by Ed Bye, no relation to the creation of the title as far as we know. After a slow and steady start, the film soon makes a good leap in the right direction, with laughs and dry wit told with irish accents. note to struggling filmmakers, when in doubt, make people with good irish accents say funny stuff, it makes it funnier, if any of you have seen Dylan Moran live, you'll know what I mean. Anyway, brilliantly executed film with a nice ending that doesn't feel forced. Personally, I think the fridges used in the film to portray the fridge showed a strong commitment to the project and brilliantly researched the mannerisms of the actual fridge 'Saoirse', they realised that just being the same make as the fridge wasn't enough and they got the character down perfectly. A well rounded film with a good moral to its story which didn't feel cliched. YAY!
Max Thompson
Max Thompson
Review by on 25 Sep 2010
It takes a cynical mindset not to be interested in a film with a title like ROUND IRELAND WITH A FRIDGE. Based on Tony Hawks’ best selling book of the same name and starring the author himself, the film follows the real life tale of the comedian’s attempt to hitchhike around the Emerald Isle with a fridge as part of a bet. It may seem ridiculous, but it works surprisingly well as a premise for a film.
Hawks is likeable as himself in a bumbling English way and his natural talent as a comedian shines through in many places. The film has a decent mixture of visual gags, word play and slap stick - an out of hand drinking game at the beginning of the film gets one of the best laughs – all of which is handled skillfully by veteran comedy director Ed Bye. The majority of the humour comes during the first half of the film in which there is barely five minutes without a decent gag.
Unfortunately it is the second half of the film that slightly lets it down as it gets overly sentimental and the jokes become less funny and often repetitive. There is also the introduction of a mildly strained “love story” that is never fully convincing.
However it would certainly take a cynical mind to be unamused during this good natured comedy, but a very naive one not to be able to spot its flaws.
Liam Jack
Hawks is likeable as himself in a bumbling English way and his natural talent as a comedian shines through in many places. The film has a decent mixture of visual gags, word play and slap stick - an out of hand drinking game at the beginning of the film gets one of the best laughs – all of which is handled skillfully by veteran comedy director Ed Bye. The majority of the humour comes during the first half of the film in which there is barely five minutes without a decent gag.
Unfortunately it is the second half of the film that slightly lets it down as it gets overly sentimental and the jokes become less funny and often repetitive. There is also the introduction of a mildly strained “love story” that is never fully convincing.
However it would certainly take a cynical mind to be unamused during this good natured comedy, but a very naive one not to be able to spot its flaws.
Liam Jack
Review by on 23 Sep 2010
An amusing film that gathered more momentum from about half way. Quite a few laughs and a few voids, however, I felt the film would improve with further time in the editing studio. A good film nonetheless.
Film details
Round Ireland with a Fridge
Director: Ed Bye
Actor: Tony Hawks
Actor: Ed Byrne
Actor: Josie Lawrence
Actor: Tony Hawks
Actor: Ed Byrne
Actor: Josie Lawrence
United Kingdom, 2010.
90 mins. English
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