Jimmy's Hall (2015)

Perfect cast and a good story

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

A film full of strong feelings between the characters. The main character is very well represented by Barry ward and pleases by the depth of ideas and emotions. It is interesting to see the discomfort of the elite and the church, so actual circumstances, although the date was the 1930s.The author makes clear in subtle and forceful way how people are prevented from living and think as they wish. This interferes in all aspects of personal life, beautifully portrayed. A great historical reference as well as a great entertainment.A beautiful movie. Photography and performances are flawless.

Somewhere slightly better and more sophisticated than Footloose is Jimmy's Hall. Based on a true story about an Irish country man who opened what was pretty much a community Center that allowed the folks of the village to educate themselves in arts and entertainment, but the Catholic church was not fond of people taking any sort of education out of God's hands and into the hands of his children. The movie really got my blood boiling even if it was very quiet and slow pace, but it hit some interesting marks about tolerance and freedom of expression. A condition needed by every human. I'm use to seeing rebellions in which people get violent in their protest, but this movie was very tamed, but more importantly, still got the message across. My favorite part of the movie is the cool Irish music that was featured in the movie. I like it a lot.

There are many movies made about oppression, but not nearly enough. In this story based on facts and one man's intention to give culture, song and dance to his small, impoverished community, it defies belief that this travesty of injustice occurred.As usual, the Catholic Church, the overlords and the unjust legal system come together to destroy any chance a small community has of the vital birth-right of culture and harmony for those who need it most; an isolated county in Ireland.As one man steps up, after having been deported once already for the grand crime of opening a hall where people can learn such basic things as song, dance, art, literature and boxing, after his ten first ten year deportation, the local youth who have nothing to look forward to in life, convince him to do so again.This is a straightforward movie about a circumstance that defies belief, and yet it occurred. Worth the watch for anyone who understands that oppression and fascism is wrong and that normal people deserve joy, community and to fight back when their world makes no sense on account of simply wanting to life a life.

There were rumours that Jimmy's Hall would be the final film from Ken Loach, the angry old man and true socialist of British cinema. Working with his regular collaborator Paul Laverty, Loach brings us the story of Jimmy Gralton (Barry Ward), a young Irish man who returned home from America in 1932 following the economic collapse and the Great Depression. A social activist who has seen much of the world, he is fired up with new ideas. Gralton rebuilt the local community hall, which became the hub of social activity for the local farmers, who would dance and celebrate on a Saturday night and then go to Mass on Sunday morning. But it also became a hub for political activism, and it was the latter activity that raised the ire of the local church, in the form of Father Sheridan (Jim Norton), an old fashioned hell and brimstone-style priest who held sway in the village, and the authorities. This was a turbulent time in the history of Ireland, and battle lines were drawn between the local workers and the rich and powerful landowners. Eventually Gralton was arrested and deported without so much as a trial. For a while here it seems as though Loach may lightening up in mood as there is a great deal of warmth and humour to the film. But not so, as Loach still has that fire raging in his belly. By the end, Jimmy's Hall becomes a howl of outrage at a blatant miscarriage of justice, the abuse of power by both the church and state, and the continued oppression of the downtrodden and working classes. The film looks superb thanks to Robbie Ryan's widescreen lensing, and George Fenton's score mixes jazz with traditional Irish music. There is plenty of great Irish music here, but the film also offers a look at the cultural and political landscape of Ireland in the early 1930s. But the broader themes about individual liberty and institutional greed still resonate strongly today and have a contemporary relevance. The accents are a bit on the thick side at times.