The Matchmaker
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.95 You Save: $9.03 (60%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $3.54 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Matchmaker
Movie Review: Matchmaking never goes out of fashion!
Summary: 4 Stars
The plot of "The Matchmaker" has been told in depth by many reviewers as well as the talent shown by all the actors. I would like to add a little comment on the characteristics that I liked most and that will make me remember this work.
There are many reasons to see this movie, even now that it is ten years old.
The first is that it stands the test of time: it is still as fresh and entertaining as when it came out and it deals with timeless problems that have somehow become cliches: raskally political men, the importance the Americans give to finding their roots, overwork, the difficulty of a womans role, loneliness and love.
The second is that all the actors are well casted, very good and true to life, they don't seem to come out of a refinished, glossy out of the world reality.
The third is that its humoristic with fine ironic dialogue that makes a laugh or two.
But the fourth reason is the most important of all and it is the lively, precise and poetic description of the beauty and tradition of Ireland's West Coast from Connemara to Aran Island to Lisdoonvarna's long standing matchmaking tradition.
If at this point the reader is not bored I would like to make the point on how a good script makes a good movie.
Lisdoonvarna's Matchmaking Festival held every year in September-October dates back to the 18th Century, when after the summer harvesting rich Irish countrymen went to Lisdoonvarna for the famous spa with warm waters. Here they arranged marriages for their sons and daughters with the help of the traditional figure of the Matchmaker (man or woman) of which I believe a few still survive today. Lisdoonvarna is in County Clare to the south of the West Irish Coast, while the movie was shot in the more picturesque Roundstone Connemara north of Galway and on Aran Island, but the atmosphere of this beautiful corner of the world is all there.
Ireland also has a tradition of singing contests that is well depicted in the movie. The soundtrack is really important in defining the atmospheres and all the songs are chosen with real feeling as can be seen by all the reviews that ask for the soundtrack.
It is incredible and a little pedantic to say but from this movie we not only get entertainment but also a little bit of culture.
Movie Review: Near perfect...
Summary: 4 Stars
Janeane Garofalo is an underused talent but she did have the opportunity to shine a few times on the big screen. This is one of those examples which, proves that good acting and a great screen presence is not reserved for stars with huge names and multi-million dollar signing contracts (though, it's a shame that Ms. Garofalo isn't pulling down super-star paychecks). This story is set in an Ireland that may be quaint but also shows it's cracks; they just aren't afraid of them. Instead it's the rough and tumble flaws of this country's people and locales that makes it so endearing as the primary setting. Janeane is a misplaced campaign employee trying to track down the roots of her boss, the candidate, who believes he has roots in a particular town on the coast of Ireland. To make matters worse than her difficulty getting to this place she lands in the midst of a matchmaker's festival. She has no interest in getting hooked up and only wants to get her job done so she can return to civilization. What she finds are scammers, overbooked hotels and a matchmaker desperate to hook her up with a rough-around-the-edges local son recently returned home. Dennis Leary plays a conniving campaign manager who is more focused on victory than on relative facts and also treats folks like Janeane's character like an under-achieving serf. Without giving too much away Janeane is a delight and a genuine talent. I doubt that this film did very well and that's a shame. It has some predictable romantic chops but it also has some wonderful dialogue and biting wit as well as observations on the shamelessness of politics. Janeane's a jewel and she doesn't seem to know it. All the better for us.Movie Review: "Matchmaker, Matchmaker, make me a match..."
Summary: 4 Stars
"The Matchmaker" is a charming comedy set in rural Ireland and starring an unlikely heroine: Janeane Garofalo, better known as a stand-up comedienne who's worked with Ben Stiller, SNL, and Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion. Janeane stars as Marcy Tizard, harried assistant to Senator John McGlory in the middle of his reelection campaign. The campaign isn't going well, and McGlory and his chauvinistic, power-hungry handler Nick (Denis Leary) send Marcy to Ballinagra, Ireland to look up the senator's Irish roots in a bid to connect with Irish-American voters.
Marcy arrives in the middle of the town's matchmaking festival, where every male wants nothing more than to propose, from the dashingly handsome to the decrepit. Getting information from the locals is more of a challenge than she'd realized. The small village is full of colourful characters, and Marcy becomes attached to Sean (David O'Hara), a former journalist who's dead-ended himself as bartender. The charming Milo O'Shea as the town's matchmaker brought to mind David Kelly in "Waking Ned Devine."
The scenery of the rugged Irish coast (Cliffs of Moher) and Aran Isles (one of the last bastions of Irish Gaelic, as evidenced by Irish-language signs and greetings) and the rollicking Irish score, with contributions by Van Morrison, the Chieftains, Waterboys, and more, will appeal to lovers of Celtic lore, unusual romances, and low-key comedies. I was pleasantly surprised by the charming sum of its parts, although I could have done with a little less of the smarmy politics, given the current political atmosphere and media saturation it receives. Contains strong language.
Movie Review: movie for big city romantics who want to look at the rural life but not lead one
Summary: 4 Stars
Meant to give this 3 Stars, but apparently can't change it now. Compelling Irish location. Too bad the movie itself doesn't quite live up to the location. Really geared for the big city lover, not those of us who like the rural life. The movie has a rural seaside setting, at rural background characters, but the main characters are very much big city people with big city attitudes that aren't really changed by the rural setting. Even Sean, the "local" love interest, has spent time in the big city, but left -- it isn't really explained why. Lots of swearing. Having a different lead actress would have helped the movie.
Border Collie lovers -- there is a great smooth-coated Border Collie appearing throughout the movie. The parts with the dog are nicely done.
Movie Review: Sweet and Endearing
Summary: 4 Stars
My wife and I both love this movie. Janeane Garafolo is wonderful as an American sent over to Ireland by her senator boss to find his Irish relatives. She runs into trouble for two reasons: one, she cannot find any relatives; and two, it is during the annual matchmaking festival. The locals are lovable and the Irish countryside is beautiful. Many of the characters seems to be a little too extreme: the geek is a little too geeky, the angry man on the island is a little too angry, etc. As the movie goes on, you see a bit more into these characters as well as the main ones as well.
We try to catch it whenever it plays on TV and others times as well on DVD. It may not me Macbeth or Hamlet, but it makes us happy to watch it every time we see it.