Standby

In January 2015, I flew to Dublin, Ireland for the first time, for a short visit. I had purchased my plane fare two weeks prior, inspired by the press release and photo call for The Walworth Farce, deciding  that I would not miss the opportunity to see Brendan, Domhnall, and Brian Gleeson in a play together. It was a great show, an incredible experience, and I loved being in Dublin. I'd like to see more of Ireland, but perhaps on another visit.

Of the three Gleesons, Brian is the one I know least. I've seen a lot of Domhnall's stuff (duh), and quite a few movies of Brendan's, but Brian's credits are a bit elusive to me. I considered re-watching Snow White and the Huntsman (Brian plays one of the dwarves), but thought better of it. I had seen him in Noreen, a short film Domhnall wrote and directed, and then in a whole bunch of the Immaturity for Charity sketches. He's great in all of these, and he proved more than capable of owning his share of The Walworth Farce. Of course this meant I was all the more interested in catching one of Brian's latest films - Standby.

In Standby, Brian, who looks more like his father Brendan than brother Domhnall does, plays Alan, a man in his late twenties, who lives at home with his father, and works with his mother at the Dublin airport after being fired from his job in finance and stood up at the altar. He's floundering, when a former flame gets stuck at the airport. She plans to catch a flight in the morning - but he's hoping she'll spend some time with him and help him get back in the saddle (so to speak).

The one-night time frame sets up a nice deadline for action, which screenwriters love. That's why they keep going back to it. Sixteen Candles, Before Sunrise, Can't Hardly Wait, Empire Records, Before Sunset, Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, In Search of a Midnight Kiss. Comment below with more of your favorite movies set over the course of one night - I know they're out there!

So it's not perfect. Gleeson and leading lady Jessica Paré aren't the most believable couple, though Alan's rockabilly side (he plays upright bass) is unexpected and fun. Paré hardly seems "the one who got away," but I tried not to hold it against her. Maybe the suspension of disbelief in the mismatched couple is part of the fun - making room for the dream that I could be mismatched with a Gleeson of my own. Netflix thought I would love it, and I did. The plot isn't new, nor is it unpredictable, but it is charming, and Irish, and Gleeson.