Garage (2007)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

best movie i've ever seen.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

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.

Anybody who's travelled through the southern west of Ireland may already feel acquainted with such a quiet, semi-rural service station, how someone would fill up your tank for you - and that person might be someone a little like Josie.Josie, naturally but superbly played by Pat Shortt is a slow and steady sort of bloke, who, one summer gets some help and company at work from a 15 year old work experience youth. Natural conversations develop and flow and soon, the normally insular Josie is, unknowingly bitten by this and is soon drinking cans with him and other local lads.However, it is an object that is given to Josie by a travelling lorry driver that awakens senses in him. Its mechanical portrayal of an normally extreme emotional and intimate nature subjects Josie to an skewed stance of women. The only known cast member (to me, at least) Anne Marie-Duff is the subject of his very moderate but maligned attention. She is friendly but firm on the matter.A further instance of poor judgement - one Josie didn't even think about - turns, quietly, his world upside down.Other reviewers have said how bleak the film is. I disagree. The ending, yes but generally, it has the feeling of a laid-back character-led indie film. Modest in aspiration, budget and final outcome. That same outcome is one the most oft used, from Greek literature, Shakespeare and so on. To my mind, it says a lot more about how outside influences can affect, dramatically, an area and a way of life not used to such. And maybe Ireland itself feeling the pressures of such, with traditional moral values being risked, though the film is certainly not preachy.Take 'Garage' as a quiet character piece that gently makes its point.

Believe me this is the most slow paced, void of dialog, boring independent-ish film I've ever seen. It makes Sling Blade look like an action flick. I was watching it to fight off insomnia one late night. Unfortunately it didn't work because after sticking with it to the end I was blown away by how the depiction of desolate rural Ireland life actually drove the story and gave deep meaning to the unbelievable end.So don't get discouraged and grab that remote because you're so bored with this movie you just can't watch another minute because the deadpan, eventless story line really does say something about our society and modern life in a way that creeps up on you and slaps you in the face and makes you think.

From the team that brought us the wonderful "Adam and Paul" comes the slower and less comedic story of Josey, (Pat Shortt) a simple minded Garage worker in a changing rural town. The plot is not a 'high concept' one, and unfolds slowly with lot's of attention to character. However, it is never boring and has such a spellbinding atmosphere that one feels in the hand's of artists. The script is a sparse and economic masterclass in storytelling and the direction is of unforced confidence. The acting is flawless and the visuals again unfussy but beautiful. This all ties up to a very interesting end which will have you thinking for a long time to come.

Im all for the arty, film festival winning indie movies, but sitting through 80 minutes of something that can, and should have been, summed up in a 5 minute short film was all too frustrating. There was no hidden meaning or shocking climax. I was dissatisfied when the film ended exactly where it started, no lessons learned and no people better or even worse off for the experiences had. There's slow... and then there's garage.The acting was decent and given more dialog than that of the very films blurb could have been exceptional. I found This movie just straight out boring. Save yourself the time and just read the cover and you will find out no less than if you were to watch the film itself.I see this film currently has a very respectful rating of 7 so i can clearly see there's reason to believe otherwise. This is just my personal opinion.