Life's a Breeze - The Cinema Club

Life’s a Breeze

In select theaters
May 23^rd 2014

90 minutes

English

Ireland

LIFE’S A BREEZE follows a family struggling to stay afloat and stay together through the hard times in Ireland. Emma (Kelly Thornton), a thirteen year old Dubliner, is asked by her uncle, Colm (Pat Shortt), to take her Nan (Fionnula Flanagan) for a day out, so that the family can surprise her with a home makeover. Emma reluctantly agrees. They return to find the house transformed, refurnished and redecorated, a great success until Nan announces that her life savings were hidden in her mattress. A search to recover the mattress leads to many possible destinations but with no success. Colm, now blamed for the whole debacle, makes a public appeal on radio and offers a reward, not realizing that a dumped mattress full of money is fair game. Soon there are thousands of people in every landfill searching for the lost fortune, and Nan becomes a minor celebrity as the woman who lost a million euros in the midst of the recession.

starring...

Kelly Thornton

Emma

Fionnula Flanagan

Nan

Pat Shortt

Colm

Eva Birthistle

Margaret

Director

Lance Daly

Writer

Lance Daly

Editing

Shimmy Marcus, Lance Daly

Cinematography

Lance Daly

Production Design

Waldemar Kalinowski

Producer

Macdara Kelleher, Lance Daly

85% on the CINEMETER

STL

85% - Mar 9, 2014

The Irish know how to tell a story. I've seen few Irish movies that I didn't like and this wasn't an exception.

St. Louis Member

A most human story. Terrific acting by Kelly Thornton, Fionnula Flanagan, Pat Shortt. Exquisite photography, particularly in the scene where Emma discovers the mattress. Wonderful portrayal of relationship between grandmother and granddaughter, reminds me of the relationship between my mother and daughter.
St. Louis Member

Loved it! Erin Go Bragh!
St. Louis Member

What a sweet movie!

St. Louis Member

The characters were reminiscent of people we all know and family members we all wish we didn't have.
St. Louis Member

MIL

93% - Mar 9, 2014

Finally, something upbeat!
Milwaukee Member

Great story about the ups and downs of family life set in financially troubled Ireland.
Milwaukee Member

The relationship between Emma and her grandma symbolizes the past and future of Ireland. The parents are Ireland in the present--skeptical, helpless, cynical. Is money hope? Many times, life is not a breeze.
Milwaukee Member

ATL

88% - Mar 30, 2014

A quirky, delightful film
Atlanta Member

Charming film. Great building of girl and grandparent relationship. Shows that siblings never really grow up in how they relate to each other and within the family.
Atlanta Member

Bittersweet allegory for Ireland's financial woes and not repeating the same mistakes again. Wonderful!
Atlanta Member

BOCA

88% - Mar 30, 2014

Dysfunctional or not, the family dynamics were loving. Money or no money they worked together and the granddaughter was terrific!

Boca Raton Member

Entertaining and very good musical score!
Boca Raton Member

Emma ( Kelly Thornton) was a delight! One of the more enjoyable films of this season!
Boca Raton Member

Engaging, light-hearted/serious story about aging and how money will show the character of people.
Boca Raton Member

Loved the relationship between the grandmother and the granddaughter.
Boca Raton Member

Cinematography was extraordinary especially the scenes around the recycling dumps!
Boca Raton Member

Realistic portrayal of life in Ireland.
Boca Raton Member

83% - Mar 23, 2014

Grows on you. Without Nan, the movie is nothing. However - she is the foundation. Illustrates the meaning of the word dignity and what it feels like as an older person to be treated like you are not there.
San Francisco Member

A gimlet-eyed naif's view of Dublin today, the ultimate money fantasy with an Irish twist.
San Francisco Member

Charming, but needed subtitles. A lot of dialogue difficult to hear or understand.
San Francisco Member

San Francisco Member

80% - Mar 16, 2014

Heart-warming and heart-breaking. Delightful characterizations & capsule view of a culture and economy.
Washington, DC Member

A story of life and connections across generations. Money...changes nothing.
Washington, DC Member

Good overview of boom and bust economy and people's sense of spending money - even when they don't have it!
Washington, DC Member

BLARNEY SCORE = 4
MALARKY SCORE = 2
Washington, DC Member

An enjoyable, entertaining treatment of [the] elderly. Spot on on various levels
Washington, DC Member

A charming film that blended an entertaining story of money in the mattress with deeper messages about respect and then importance of family -- squabbles and all.
Washington, DC Member

87% - Mar 30, 2014

I thought "Oh no! not another movie about us Irish folk as a sad lot of foolish dreamers." But the great Fionella Flanagan took the film (and her gang of foolish dreamers) to a wonderful place.
Greater New Haven Member

What a great kid! How did she come out of that litter?
Greater New Haven Member

A sad comedy. In spite of the humor, it felt bleak. The young girl was stunning! [NB: many compliments on Kelly Thornton's acting.]
Greater New Haven Member

Lightweight treatment of family dynamics and morality. But entertaining. [NB: "lightweight" and its synonyms were adjectives frequently encountered on the cards.]
Greater New Haven Member

BOS

73% - Mar 16, 2014

Great Irish humor and family connection. Sweet movie. Amusing. Acting was good. Liked the relationship between Emma and Nan. Loved the granddaughter. Excellent explication of character as a woman of quality. An insight into the Irish mentality. Sweet movie. Very touching. Excellent character study.
Boston Member

Magnolia Pictures