Irish Eyes (2004)

Don't Believe the Hype

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

The plot was dull, the acting was forced and uninspired, the accents were unbearable, the direction was not present, the film itself was out of focus. Writer/Director/Actor/Producer Daniel McCarthy must have forgotten to include focus puller in his list of responsibilities.I only wish MST3k was still on the air, this beats Manos: The Hands of Fate for the worst movie ever made. I saw this at the New York premiere and asked the projectionist about the film being out of focus and he told me he spent much of the running time trying to fix the focus only to realize it was the film itself which was out of focus. Despite all of these factors I stayed through the four times I expected the movie to finish and then kept going for another twenty minutes until it finally came to an anti-climactic and predictable end. It is no wonder why they had to get a new film editor during post-production.I recommend this film for the U.S. government as an alternative to traditional torture techniques as this is far worse than water boarding, not to mention they have to watch Daniel Baldwin fail to act his way out of a paper bag or donut box. Whatever the title of this movie is watch at your own risk. If I had Bill Cosby's money I would buy the rights to this and destroy any record of it. I can only hope Writer/Director/Actor/Producer Daniel McCarthy does not inflict any more damage to the minds of unsuspecting film goers ever again. Horrible, just plain horrible.

In Boston, the Irish father of two boys is executed by the Italian mafia in front of the children when he was leaving home going to work. Each brother follows a path in the law seeking for revenge: Sean Phelan (Daniel Baldwin) becomes a criminal and head of the Irish mob, and Thomas Phelan (John Novak) becomes a successful prosecutor. However, their relationship is almost impossible for both sides, leading to a tragic consequence.I was really surprised with the IMDb User Rating of 2.9 for this movie. I saw an imported DVD without subtitles, and I missed some words because of the accent and way of speaking of John Novak, but I really found "Vendetta, No Conscience, No Merci" a powerful and dramatic movie of mob and revenge. The major problem is the miscast John Novak, who has no resemblance with Daniel Baldwin, becoming hard to believe that they are brothers. His way of speaking without moving the lips is also awful. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): Not available, but the imported DVD I saw is called "Vendetta, No Conscience, No Merci"

Irish Eyes is well worth viewing. The relationship between the brothers played by Daniel Baldwin and John Novak is engaging to watch and both actors give heartfelt performances. The story is gritty and compelling, supported by a strong acting ensemble. Bravo to Daniel McCarthy for bringing a great story to the big screen!! It's a remarkable achievement for someone writing, directing and producing his first feature.

I walked out of the theater after viewing Irish Eyes with a profound sense of awe. I had witnessed a story as old as the bible (Cain and Able) told in such a dramatic new fashion that I felt as if I had never heard it before. This movie has an epic feel. The relationship between the brothers is the essence of the film. The often times difficult relationship brothers have is certainly more complicated when your professional lives are in conflict, as one bother is a US attorney charged with bring down organized crime figures (the good brother, Able) and the other is the head of the Irish Mob(the bad brother, Cain.) The city of Boston is as much a character in this film as the state troopers, and the city is a reflection of the brothers. The pictures on the screen project a city with youth and vigor as the brothers begin to grow up, and it turns darker and more dangerous, as the brothers age and grow more cynical and deadly. Truly the climax takes place when Tom, the good brother, delivers his speech at the end of the movie. Watching that scene you believe that his very own real life brother is the head of the Irish Mob. If you liked Public Enemy or State of Grace, then you'll love Irish Eyes.