Middletown (2006)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Brian Kirk

Writer:

Daragh Carville (writer)

Release Date:

3 November 2006 (Ireland)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An overzealous priest returns to his home town and ends up battling against his brother for the heart of the locals.

Awards:

2 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Matthew Macfadyen	...	Gabriel Hunter
Daniel Mays	...	Jim
Eva Birthistle	...	Caroline
Gerard McSorley	...	Bill Hunter
Richard Dormer	...	Ned
David Wilmot	...	Sammy
Mick Lally	...	Reverend Cray
Sorcha Cusack	...	Mrs. Lennon
David Herlihy	...	Bap Miller
Frankie McCafferty	...	Pokey
Bronagh Gallagher	...	Tessie
Charlene McKenna	...	Adele
Marie Jones	...	Agnes
Lalor Roddy	...	Bin
Tyrone McKenna	...	Young Gabriel
Niall Wright	...	Young Jim
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Larry Cowan	...	Villiager (uncredited)

Directed by
Brian Kirk

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Daragh Carville		writer

Produced by
Mark Byrne	....	co-producer
Michael Casey	....	producer
Martha O'Neill	....	executive producer
Mark Thomas	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Debbie Wiseman

Cinematography by
Adam Suschitzky		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tim Murrell

Production Design by
Ashleigh Jeffers

Art Direction by
Kay Brown
Miriam Doyle		(2006)

Costume Design by
Lorna Marie Mugan

Makeup Department
Morna Ferguson	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Mary Alleguen	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tony Aherne	....	first assistant director
Stephen Darragh	....	trainee assistant director
Darren Fee	....	third assistant director
Therese Friel	....	second assistant director
Tim Murrell	....	second unit director

Art Department
Alan Harvey	....	property master
Richard Lee	....	graphic designer
Laura Ng	....	scenic painter

Sound Department
Caoimhe Doyle	....	foley artist
Andrew Felton	....	boom operator
John Fitzgerald	....	foley mixer
John Fitzgerald	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brendan Geaney	....	foley editor
Fionn Higgins	....	dialogue editor
Nicky Moss	....	sound designer
Simon J. Willis	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Kevin Byrne	....	special effects supervisor
Dave Roddham	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Ed Bruce	....	compositor
David Casey	....	lead compositor
James Clarke	....	visual effects
Anne-Marie Downes	....	visual effects producer
Michael McCarthy	....	compositor
Hubert Montag	....	effects animator

Stunts
Joe Condren	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Andy Gardner	....	second assistant camera
Jamie Jackson	....	camera trainee
Steven Livingstone	....	trainee electrician
David McAnulty	....	key grip
Sean McKeown	....	rigger

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Clodagh Deegan	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Warren Dowling	....	on-line editor
David O'Brien	....	assistant editor
Kevin Phelan	....	head of post-production: Lip Sync Post
Simon Thornton	....	on-line assistant

Other crew
Kim Ballard	....	production financing
James Clarke	....	digital laboratory supervisor
Julie Connor	....	production coordinator
Dougal Cousins	....	location scout
Brendan Gunn	....	dialogue coach
Jeanette McGrath	....	script supervisor
Adam Philpott	....	production runner
Andrew Reid	....	head of production: NIFTC
Clodagh Tierney	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Green Park Films
• Chapter 4
• BBC Northern Ireland
• Bórd Scannán na hÉireann
• Eclipse Pictures
• Green Park Films
• Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission

Distributors

• Eclipse Pictures (2006) (Ireland) (theatrical)
• Eclipse Pictures (2006) (Ireland) (all media)
• Verve Pictures (2006) (UK) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Team FX

Other Companies

• Ardmore Sound  sound post-production
• Bórd Scannán na hÉireann  funding
• Lip Sync Post  digital transfer to 35 mm
• N.I.F.T.C.  funding
• Screen Scene  post-production facilities
• Shoot NI  location services

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

UK | Ireland

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:15A | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK

Company:

Green Park Films

Trivia:

The writer Daragh Carville can be seen briefly drinking a pint in one of the bar scenes.

Mad

Diary of a Country Priest. DVD review.

It's the '50s/'60s and a young priest returns to Middletown and is shocked at what he sees.

Impressive, serious but over-directed movie dealing with family tensions set around religion, drink, babies, local folk, and violence (well it is an Irish movie). Didn't know what to make of the priest - is he nuts or just a strong character who's able to stand his ground? For once McSorley plays a quiet man. Movie depicts the hell of living in a small town in pre-television Ireland where everyone knows your business. The most impressive part of the picture was the music score - really good soundtrack. The editing and photography were top notch too. This is the kind of movie you'll either love or hate - I loved it.

Middletown is easily one of the best Irish movies this decade.