Taffin (1988)

Purely Joyful Movie!

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

I really liked this film. It's basicaly the idea of transporting a fifties B-western into 80s Ireland and from my poinbt of view it works fine. Imagine the storyline of a Budd Butticher b-western: hero of shady provenance, yet an interesting character, ruthless but good at heart takes on gang who terrorises small town. Don't expect twisted story lines here, it's straight forward. The story is well told, the characters are all quite interesting and it's really well executed particularly when the townsfolk suddenly decide they've had enough of Taffin. It's also well made in terms of character development; Taffin is a slacker and finally has to find his own way. And of course there is the lovely Alison Doodey.

You have seen it before in The Specialist or in films like On Deadly Ground or The Fire Below. Tough guy goes against the evil corporate empire that is out for profit and the people be damned.Of course, Steven Seagal or Sly Stallone may be quicker to jump into it that was Pierce Brosnan. He was battling his own personal demons, and just wanted to live a quiet life in the village of his birth; well, as quiet a life that can be lived by a bill collector. You know, make a little money, drink a little whiskey, and once in a while a pretty girl comes along like Alison Doody (Dr. Elsa Schneider in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade).But, this is Pierce Brosnan and he is infinitely more watchable that the others.

OK take my review with a grain of salt because I missed whatever happened before the "town" asked Taffin (Pierce, man thats a cool name I wish I named my Son that (Pierce that is), lol) to take on the bad guys who rammed a chemical plant onto a very nice Irish (?) town. As far as the part that I saw (which was basically the whole film because I knew where it was going), I really really enjoyed it. As a matter of fact if I could re-watch Taffin vs any of Pierce's Bond flicks, I'd take Taffin any day. I am always entertained more by English films (or in this case Irish), than I am by most American films, they just seem more unpredictable because I don't know what to expect. Taffin has Pierce looking really cool (and he still is semi young so more believable as a killer to me), plus the eye candy is not too shabby in this one with some nice topless views that you wont get in a Bond film. Is it full of plot holes? Yeah big time, but Pierce kicks some ass his way and does it in a funny way. Its an American 60's crime flick thats light on the moral dialog, its just the bad corporation and the little townsfolk hiring their gunslinger to protect them. Pierce does it in a very sly way and doesn't resort to the kill until he has to. I see a LOT of 1 votes on this film, they must hate English speaking foreign films (or they're psycho Lazenby Bond lovers out to besmirch all of Pierce's films, lol). Me, I liked the films Pierce did around this time, like Livewire and the Deceivers. I think I've liked most flicks Pierce has been in that I saw (one of those Bond flicks with a bad-guy taking over the internet or something was lame but any Bond flick is good or bad based on the bad guy not the Bond), and Taffin had me smiling, it was cool entertainment. Will I be buying the DVD, probably not (although I wonder what it's going for used on Amazon? hmmm, wow its only 75 cents thats cheap! I may get it now, the Arab channel I watched it on had the nudity but bleeped out the profanity, go figure, lol). Looking for a cool, mindless, Irish (!), action flick? Check out Taffin, I'm glad I did!

If you are a fan of Pierce Brosnan, you'll love this film. If you are not a fan, it's still worth the rental. You can actually say it is one of those movies that is so bad that it is good. Brosnan plays a kick ass and take names debt collector who gets involved in fighting a crooked chemical plant that the residents of an Irish neighborhood oppose. Granted, the acting is sub-par, but it is very entertaining. In fact, a friend and I made a drinking game out of the flick! Whenever someone in the film says "Taffin", you take a drink. The best line is the one mentioned as my summary. Also look for a cameo by the late, great Dermot Morgan (BBC's Father Ted) as stand-up comedian Mickey Guest.