Movie Review: "The Irish Pub"

The Basics

The Irish Pub is a documentary about, would you believe, the Irish pub! Specifically the smaller, family-run type you'd usually find in old rural towns. The film features public houses from Mayo to Cork, Dublin to Donegal and everywhere in between, and cuts between interviews with the bar staff and their customers.

Who's In It?

A whole host of publicans, their aged clientèle, and whoever's holding the camera. It's directed by solicitor-turned-filmmaker Alex Fegan, who deserves congratulations for whatever epiphany he had to leave behind that particular profession.

Who's It For?

Frequenters of pubs, cultural enthusiasts, people unsure of how to save Irish heritage, map-makers, clarinettists, historians and general fans of a good laugh. At 76 minutes, it's particularly suited to those with short attention spans.

CollegeTimes Verdict

This is a really smart, well-made movie that says a lot with relatively few words. Surprisingly funny while maintaining an ever-so-slightly melancholic edge, it's a sort of eulogy for a dying bastion of Irish culture. Bursting with fascinating factoids and varying degrees of emotion, from heart-stirring to hilarity (one particular barman from Cavan incited roars of laughter), this is the sort of documentary that reminds you why they're worth paying for. Yes, there are so many to watch for free on TV, but rarely are they either as insightful or as thought provoking as this one. Go see it, preferably before a night out on the juice.

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The Irish Pub opens Friday 4th of October. Catch it at the Lighthouse Cinema, Smithfield, Dublin 7.