The Man Who Would Have Freed Ireland

Happy St. Patty's Day!! :=8D

In celebration, the MooCow has chosen one of his favorite Irish films, Neil Jordan's excellent, cowtraversial epic "Michael Collins".

"Michael Collins" is a bold, sweeping look at one of Ireland's moost prominant, and often forgotten, historical figures. As with many films of this type, certain liberties with history have been taken for the sake of drama, some of which are quite cowtraversial. But Jordan's speculation cannot take away from the brilliance of a film almoost cast in the league of "Braveheart" or "Spartacus". I say almoost, because one element in particular, the dreaded "Julia Roberts Factor", almoost succeedes in ruining this great film.

One can tell that "Michael Collins" is nothing short of a labor of love for Writer/Director Neil Jordan, whose talents have so far produced such excellent films as "Mona Lisa", "The Crying Game", and "The End of the Affair". Certainly, the mythology and cowtroversy surrounding the historical figure of Michael Collins himself is enough to make the average Hollywood hack choke on his tofu expresso. But Jordan's intelligent screenplay allows us to see the great man not only as a nation-builder or master terrorist(depending on your point of view), but also as "a yup from West Cork", a man of the people who puts on his pants on leg at a time like the rest of us. Such intimacy and familiarity brings us that mooch closer to Collins' character, allowing him to become a tragic hero.

Liam Neeson turns in an outstanding, burly performance as Collins. Neeson("Schindler's List", "Darkman", "Rob Roy")seems born to play Collins, and is absolutely cowvincing in this cow's eyes. He manages to cowvince us that Collins is a man capable of both remarkable violence, and also of genuine warmth and cowpassion, with just a little political naivette thrown in for good measure.

Moost udder performances in the film stand as equally good. Adian Quinn("The Playboys", "The Handmaiden's Tale", "Legends of the Fall") plays Collins' friend Harry Boland with a certain roguish charm, but also shows the deep bitterness of a friendship and ideal betrayed.

Alan Rickman's("Die Hard", "Sense and Sensibility", "Galaxy Quest") memorable turn as Eamon de Velera, the very political and possibly duplicitous statesman, provides mooch of the cowtraversy surrounding this film. Historically, what the real de Velera did and did not know about the treaty terms, or about the ambush at Bealnablath, is subject to mooch debate. Irregardless, Rickman cud easily have walked off with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for 1996 for his shining work in the film.

The one dark spot in "Michael Collins", and a large dark spot it is, remains the very questionable casting of Julia Roberts as Kitty Kiernan, Collins' love-interest. First off, let the record stand that the role of Kitty seems far too prominent than the film needed, and would be a burden for any actress to carry, moooch less one with dubious skills to begin with. Here, the love-interest convention feels tacked-on and artificial, almoost as if some studio head somewhere moost have demanded that it be included to draw in the date-crowd. This insufferable romantic subplot becomes the film's main weak point.

Julia Roberts("Erin Brockavich", "Runaway Bride", "Pretty Woman", they're all pretty moooch the same... :=8P ) turns the film's weakness into an eyesore.
Unfortunately, Robert's acting abilities remain as slim as her waistline. Her Irish accent is about as cowstant as the tide breaking on the rocky Irish shores: it comes and goes. And, rather than introduce a warm, romantic element to the film, Robert's presence is nothing short of a cowstant source of irritation. Her woeful rendition of "She Mooves Through the Fair" made the whole herd cringe their spots off. She is totally unable to cowvince anyone in the herd of being Irish, and her performance as Kitty is, at best, two-dimensional. As far as the MooCow is cowcerned, Julia Roberts is the Tony Danza of Hollywood(albeit mooch prettier): you wonder cow in the world they remain in the Business with such slim talents. :=8P

As for "Michael Collins", if you love great battle scenes, beautiful cinematography, suspense, political upheaval, or tragedy in general, then the MooCow says this is yer film. Some scenes stand out as worth mentioning: the rendition of Bloody Sunday in Croke Park; the assault on the General Post Office; the ambush at Bealnablath. One scene did seem someone pretentious and derivative in the film. The pastiche showing Collins' "boys" delivering their messages to the British seemed to have cobbled directly from "The Godfather", when Michael Corleone's "boys" are delivering their message to the udder 5 udderground Families. But such moooments are fleeting, and cannot dim the overall excellent quality of the film.

In the end, "Michael Collins" remains one of the MooCow's favorite flicks, and cud be one of yours' too, if you can overcome Julia Robert's loathsome presence. The MooCow says grab a pint of the old brown, a pile of spuds, and dig into "Michael Collins"!

:=8D

PS: The Soundtrack is fantastic, and a moost-buy for those interested in great soundtracks, or Irish moosic.

;=8)