Goldfish Memory (2003)

The Worst Film Ever

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

As Good As It Gets

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This steaming pile is the reason that there's no Irish Film industry. I swear to you, I have seen better acting in Primary School plays, Sean Campion in particular is atrocious. it speaks volumes that the pinnacle of his career has been Hollyoaks. Absolutely horrid, every line he utters sounds like a Kerrygold commercial.Low-budget or not, this film is also poorly shot and poorly directed, the whole thing looks like an episode of Nationwide. The lighting in particular was awful. Like I said, a low-budget is no excuse for substandard work. Because the whole film relied on natural or available light, light bulbs shine far too brightly as the camera compensates for the darkness of the scene, and it just ends up looking cheap. The creators were also obviously far too proud of composing the shots carefully as they lingered on them for so long. Slow edits, and poxy camera movements that come off as cheap...I mean, they even used that cross-dissolving sex scene gimmick twice... Then they just got trigger-happy with Dutch angles. It really says a lot about this film when it bears one of the hallmarks of the Batman TV-series...There's just so much crap here to sift through, I won't go into the wafer-thin characterisation and the fact that almost every character can become gay. They may be straight for most of the film, but all it takes is a wink and a few drinks and BANG! they're gay! And its not funny. Despite what anyone else here says, its not funny in the slightest, unless you find double-takes and shocked faces funny. I don't. And thats because I'm not 10. Or an idiot. If this is a comedy, then a bebo page is a literary masterpiece. Then again, the bebo generation probably thinks this film is "class"....

'Goldfish Memory' is a light, bright celebration of our hilarious tendency to learn nothing from experience. Like the goldfish with his 3-second memory, we plunge from one romantic disaster to the next, seemingly incapable of resisting the dizzy thrill of new romance whenever it comes our way. Focussing on a philandering German professor at Trinity College Dublin, who plies his female students with Rilke's poetry (possibly the most unlikely aphrodisiac in movie history - read some to help you sleep), the movie follows the misfortunes of an extended circle of related characters in a connected series of whirlwind romances. Hetero, bi or homosexual, some don't know who they are, one or two don't know where they are. This is Arthur Schnitzler's 'La Ronde' meets 'Love, Actually' and, with no pretensions to high art, is a colourful and poignant celebration of student life and love in the café and pub society of downtown Dublin, Europe's most fun city. Lead actress O'Shaugnessy is destined for great things.

Although this movie came recommended by some friends (and because of that it was a blind purchase), I must say I didn't get very excited from it. Yes, the movie is nicely shot, contains a few nice scenes, but overall I found it cheesy, tacky, and very predictable! Come to think of it.. the people who recommended it are the same who keep trying to convince me to go to Dublin, so I guess it's a nice movie for people who had a nice time in Dublin (another person here also commented on how nice Dublin looks in the movie).So... although I was recommended to go see this movie, I advise people to see it only if they like Dublin and/or typical romcom's. Even my girlfriend (who is quite a romcom-addict) didn't like it too much. The more experienced/serious movie-addict will most likely be disappointed.I give it 6/10, because it wasn't bad in an annoying way ;-).

Man, if you still hesitate to watch this movie go ahead! I've seen quite a bunch of movies about love and relationships in homosexuality and heterosexuality, and this one is excellent. Behind the fact that it's very funny and entertaining, the cast is just perfect, the characters couldn't be more into their parts. The story is touching and true, never boring because it's always renewing when you don't expect it to. It gives you a good taste of life and its turmoils with a delightful sense of humor. It's refreshing really! Too bad there aren't more quality movies like this one... Thank you for this (too short) moment of enjoyment and laughters.