Disco Pigs (2001)

Good movie but grossly overrated

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Irish screenwriter and director Kirsten Sheridan's feature film debut which was written by Irish playwright Enda Walsh after his play "Disco Pigs" from 1996 which starred Cillian Murphy and Irish actress Eileen Walsh, was screened at the 37th Chicago International Film Festival in 2001 and is an Irish production which was shot on location in Dublin, Cork and Wicklow in Ireland and produced by Irish producer Ed Guiney. It tells the story about a 16-year-old student named Darren aka Pig who lives with his mother and younger sister in a terraced house in Cork, Ireland and his same aged childhood friend and sweetheart Sinead aka Runt who lives next door to him with her parents. Darren and Sinead has created their own language and an imaginary world where they are king and queen. Instigated by Darren, they rule Cork as they please, but their teachers have picked up on the development of their relationship and when Sinead is sent to a special residential school called the Allen center in Donegal, they are separated for the first time in their lives.Finely and acutely directed by Irish filmmaker Kirsten Sheridan, this somewhat surreal fictional tale which is narrated by the female protagonist and mostly from her and the male protagonist's point of view, draws a dense and singular portrayal of an obsessive, intense and unrestrained relationship between a boy and girl who's world is shattered when one of them has to leave their home-place. While notable for its colorful and atmospheric milieu depictions, fine production design by production designer Zoë Macleod, cinematography by Chilean cinematographer Igor Jadue-Lillo and Irish cinematographer Peter Robertson, costume design by Irish costume designer Lorna Marie Mugan and use of colors, this character-driven, dialog-driven and diverse independent film from the early 2000s contains a great score by Irish singer, songwriter and composer Gavin Friday and Irish musician and composer Maurice Seezer.This rhythmic, romantic, violent, riveting and at times darkly humorous psychological drama, which is mainly set against the backdrop of the coastal city of Cork in Ireland, about an otherworldly and unfulfilled romance between two rebellious Irish students who are seventeen days away from their 17th birthday, is impelled and reinforced by its fragmented narrative structure, subtle character development, intertwined studies of character, quick-witted dialog and the versatile and remarkable acting performances by Irish actor Cillian Murphy and Irish actress Elaine Cassidy. An unsentimental love-story and a visceral, lyrical and consistently involving character piece.

Potential spoilers! This film is a truly hideous piece of garbage, a profound waste of viewing time, with no redeeming features or value. It appears to be the product of a demented, perverted mind, frankly. I felt dirty and awful after having watched it -- and I am a horror film buff from way back; I don't automatically shy away from blood or torture. This flick is nasty & violent purely for their own sake. I see some reviewers talk about the supposed beauty of the film and the wonderful relationship between the two leads. HUH? Did we watch the same movie? Were you paying attention throughout? What's to admire in this horrific cinematic trash? OK, so the lead male is mentally deficient, but trying to make a hero out of a violent, loose-cannon retarded maniac is nothing to praise. My sincere advice is stay away from this film. You will learn nothing from it, you will not be the better for having seen it. Rather, like me, you will probably deeply regret that you spent the time viewing it.

This film was absolutely spectacular. It was well acted, shot and wrote and the mix of innocence and anger were well represented.This film was one that i had eagerly anticipated watching and i was not disappointed by it. At times it was painful to watch but was compelling all the same as it really drew the audience in. Cillian Murphy was excellent as the mentally challenged Pig as even in his madness you are drawn to him and his obvious similarity to a confused child. Elaine Cassidy was equally well cast as the introverted Runt.I would recommend this film although admittedly it will not be to everyones tastes.

I happened to perceive Disco Pigs as a deep and arty film. It managed to portray a priceless and rare love between two people and the consequences of such an emotional love. It's not a 'go happy' film and this is what I found was one of its more original components of which there was many. A 'happy' film doesn't make a good film.The acting was beautiful by the two main characters who seemed to have reached deep with-in themselves to act parts like these.The dark and murky scenes gave an overall dark atmosphere however the dark yet picturesque scenes created a personal sense of awe at the film. The script, acting and background all combined together to make a deep interpretation of this apparent intuitive love that I found manages to grip you inside.The high use of dialect made a little of the film hard to understand but this also gave it a sense of culture.It was seen by me late at night on national TV. Perhaps not a sociable film I might not have enjoyed it so much if I were with someone. The portrayal of the extreme love between the two main characters almost made me feel jealous about missing out on a strong friendship like that with someone.Even though the ending wasn't what I expected it or even what I wanted it to be it was still enough to make me want to purchase the film and research reviews and information about it.