Waking Ned (DVD)

This was a film, which had been lurking on my 'to watch' list for longer than The Iron Lady was Prime Minister, and I finally got around to selecting it in my local video emporium the other night. A British film with a couple of well known names and an enticing plot, it promised to be good but delivered a hell of a lot more than it promised. THE PLOT The film is set in a small island in a far-flung extremity of Ireland (one can't help but wonder if it is located close to Craggy Island and spend half the film expecting Father Ted to pop up). The village consists of only 50 people and is filled with interesting characters, such as the woman ...

After reading in the press that someone in their small village, on their remote island, had won the lottery, Jackie and Michael go on a mission to find the lucky person, in an attempt to endear themselves to the winner and hopefully to gain a share on the winnings. In a village of just 50 people, it shouldn't be too difficult, and after some cunning snooping, they decide that the winner must be Ned Devine. After battling through the stormy weather, they reach Ned's home, only to discover him stone dead, sitting in the chair, still holding the winning ticket. Not wanting to loose this golden opportunity to become rich beyond their dreams, they cheekily phone up ...

Ahhh... What a refreshing change to the run of the mill American comedies that we so often watch. Not that I don't like them, but they're undoubtedly playing the same type of format our over and over again - serial humour in fact. Well when I read about 'Waking Ned' coming out on video soon, a film set and made in Ireland (and with all the wit and humour you'd expect), I just HAD to see it for myself. While watching the Irish state Lotto one night, a resident of a tiny rural Irish village discovers that somebody local has scooped the jackpot of millions! He and his old-coger friend set-out to find who on the island is keeping the secret, and ...