The Honeymooners

Dir: Karl Golden
Starring Alex Reid, Jonathan Byrne, Justine Mitchell
UK 2003, Cert 15
Rt: 85 mins

In The Honeymooners, we follow the trail of a bridegroom jilted at his own wedding who in desperation takes off into the wilds of the countryside to cope with the depression that has befallen him. On the way, he bumps into a waitress who wants to escape a married lover full of false promises. Initially these are two strangers looking for time alone to sort their lives out but gradually they find friendship and a shared sense of being shat upon by the world at large. The question then is, will they go further and what if the jilted bride makes a reappearance?

A reasonable romantic drama comedy this, not dissimilar to the big hit Along came Polly. Its been made on a low budget (shot in just 18 days around Dublin and in Northern Ireland on digital video) but its none the worse for that, since all the situations are perfectly believable. Much of the camerawork is natural handheld dogme-style shooting, which gives the film an authentic raw quality and emphasizes the fact that director Karl Golden is interested in performances, and the strength of his two leads to carry the drama. They do that, so although its low-key, this is worth the money as a British film, if its showing in a multiplex near you.

Matt Arnoldi