Reviewed on 19th February 2026 at the Dublin International Film Festival
Cast: Colin Morgan, Calam Lynch, Clara Crichton, Niamh Cusack
Genre: Drama
Director: David Gleeson
In Irish Cinemas: 1st May 2026
Drawing deeply from a childhood shaped by life inside Irish picture houses, David Gleeson crafts a story rooted in personal memory yet broadened into a wider reflection on cinema culture. The result is a film steeped in affection for a bygone era, one that predates the polish of modern multiplexes, luxury seating, and the homogenised atmosphere of contemporary moviegoing. Set in Limerick in 1984, the narrative unfolds within a struggling single-screen cinema, capturing the peculiar magic of shared viewing experiences, those fleeting moments when strangers sit together in the dark, collectively absorbed in stories flickering on screen.
Premiering as the opening gala at the Dublin International Film Festival, the film positions itself as a heartfelt tribute that may resonate particularly with older audiences who remember the rituals of traditional cinemas. Its sensibility aligns with a lineage of films that celebrate movie houses themselves as cultural sanctuaries, echoing the spirit of works like Cinema Paradiso and Empire of Light, while also acknowledging lesser-known predecessors that explored similar themes.
At the centre of the story stands Earl Clancy, a weary and emotionally guarded cinema manager whose life revolves entirely around the theatre he oversees. Hardened by disappointment and quiet bitterness, he moves through his nightly routine with mechanical precision, selling tickets, managing disruptions, and even operating the projector when necessary. The cinema is less a workplace than an inheritance, a burden carried out of obligation to a father whose shadow still looms large. For Earl, maintaining the cinema is not simply about business; it is an act of preservation, a refusal to let something meaningful slip into oblivion.
The fragile equilibrium of his world begins to unravel over the course of a single Friday evening screening. What should be just another routine showing instead becomes a turning point when a businessman arrives with an offer to purchase the cinema. The proposition introduces a stark choice: cling to a fading legacy or accept the inevitability of change. Earl’s younger brother sees the offer as an opportunity to escape, highlighting a growing divide between them, one rooted in differing attitudes toward the past and what, if anything, is worth holding on to.
Visually, the film immerses itself in the texture of an ageing cinema. The public-facing charm, glowing signage, rich red interiors, and the soft illumination of footlights contrast with the disorder behind the curtain, where malfunctioning equipment and general disrepair hint at decline. Details such as the hum of the projector and the presence of film posters advertising upcoming releases evoke a vivid sense of time and place. Meanwhile, references to the rise of home video technology underscore a looming threat, suggesting that the communal experience of cinema is already under siege.
The screenplay condenses a lifetime of anecdotal detail into one chaotic evening, layering crisis upon crisis. Mechanical failures, staffing issues, family tensions, and unexpected mishaps pile up relentlessly, creating mounting pressure that drives both the humour and the narrative momentum. This structure leans into farce at times, with events unfolding in rapid succession, occasionally at the expense of deeper narrative cohesion.
A stylistic device that divides the story into “reels” mirrors the mechanics of traditional film projection, reinforcing the setting while imposing a ticking clock on events. This choice adds a mild sense of playfulness, though it never fully tips into outright comedy; instead, the tone hovers between gentle amusement and subdued melancholy.
Greater emotional depth emerges as the story explores the strained relationship between the brothers and the complicated legacy left by their father. Beneath the surface frustrations lie unresolved grievances and unspoken truths, gradually revealed as tensions escalate. Earl, initially distant and difficult to warm to, becomes more sympathetic as layers of his character are peeled back, exposing vulnerability beneath the gruff exterior.
Ultimately, the film finds the strongest footing in its portrayal of the cinema as more than just a building. It becomes a symbol of community, memory, and shared experience, an institution that binds people together, however briefly. In its quieter moments, the story captures the enduring emotional power of that connection, offering a poignant reminder of what is lost when such spaces disappear.
Overall: 6.5/10
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