Tara Road (2005)

Good start, but then it gets ruined

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Absolutely Brilliant!

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Andie MacDowell and Olivia Williams play American and Irish women respectively. Based on Maeve Binchy's novel, Marilyn Vine, must deal with her son's tragic death on his birthday in Connecticut. Ria has to deal with her husband's infidelity with her best friend Rosemary. The film is beautifully photographed with Brenda Fricker and Stephen Rea in supporting roles in Ireland. Ruby Wax plays Carlotta, Marilyn's American friend and neighbor. I don't think they filmed the Connecticut scenes in the states though perhaps for financial reasons. The film is ideal viewing for Hallmark and Lifetime movies though.

It may have started slow, however the BUILD UP was worth waiting.The PLOT is not two strangers sharing prospective homes in different countries, NO NO, it is how they each cope first with their own grief and sorrows and then how they assist one another. When Marilyn overheard how not only did he cheat on Ria, he also cheated with her best friend.Again over hearing the statement 'Jack Boot' describing Marilyn whom originally horrified by such remark, later utilized same to show who was in charge. When Marilyn met boss' wife and they hatched a plan to salvage RIA's home and smartly done around the dining room table with all characters present, was a STROKE OF GENIUS..Again no jumping in & out of bed with all actors, just plausible story telling. I do not understand the Colm character. Possibly because every time I see Rea I think of the "Crying Game"..To pair him up with Andie MacDowell is ludicrous as she is 'CLASS PERSONIFIED'. I was happy that no involvement became a better story then jumping into bed..

I do like Maeve Binchy as a writer and liked Circle of Friends so I thought Tara Road might be along those lines but alas it wasn't.The acting seemed very forced and the characters were just not real at all. I just didn't get the feeling that anyone really believed in the character they were playing. I usually like Andie MacDowel and Stephen Rea but their characters just didn't fit.And the American scenes were supposed to be set in New England but were filmed in South Africa. Did the producers and director really think we Americans would think that was New England. Come on! It was ludicrous to expect that leap of faith from us. I would not really recommend this film at all.

One of Maeve Binchey's most popular novels, complete with a useful American angle, this was an obvious choice for the big screen. However, the story of two women (one Irish, one American) who house-swap makes for a difficult transition in practice. Quite a long novel, it also compresses awkwardly, losing much of its charm and intelligence along the way. The film is not helped by lack-lustre central performances. MacDowell seems out of practice, and Williams (almost invariably seen hitherto in starchy British roles) does not make a convincing Irish housewife. Her emoting seems brittle (even shrill) and she seems uncomfortable with emotion generally. Overall the film looks good and is well filmed, but does not hold the attention except perhaps for die-hard Binchey fans, many of whom will be disappointed at the inevitable over-simplification.