Review of Waking Ned (1998) by Jeffrey B — 06 Feb 2010

This utterly delightful Ireland-set comedy from Kirk Jones makes an uplifting and hilarious story out of lottery fraud. Only in Ireland! Ian Bannan is excellent as Jackie Oâ??Shea, who convinces his friends and neighbours to help him dupe the lottery company out of nearly 7 million pounds.

The cast of characters who inhabit his tiny seaside village are wonderfully entertaining but none of them cartoonishly so. The actors are perfectly chosen and each one gives a humourous but authentic performance that keep the highly unlikely plot firmly grounded in a real time and place.

David Kelly is a standout as Jackie's innocent friend, forced into impersonating someone else to aid the town's shady cause. The film works because it convinces the audience that Jackie's mission, despite being illegal and unethical, is the right thing to do! Topped off with lovely photography of the gorgeous Irish moors and some terrific music, "Waking Ned Devine" is an unforgettably fun and touching little film.