Love... Irish style!

Aparajita Saha

The Closer You Get focuses on the romantic trials and tribulations of a group of young Irish men living in a craggy, coastal hamlet.

They meet every night at the local watering hole to lament the lack of attractive, eligible women in their tiny town.

Eventually, in the hope of hitting conjugal pay dirt, the men take matters into their hands.

Led by ringleader, Kieran O'Donnagh (Ian Hart) - a butcher with a severe case of crotch-itis (a crotch fixation, in common parlance) -- they decide to place an ad in a Miami newspaper trumpeting the assets of their village and its men for any exploratory American women who would seek some love and nuptial bliss overseas.

The co-conspirators make up a colorful bunch of rural oddballs, including the 36-year-old virginal salesman Ollie (Pat Shortt); Sean (Sean McDonagh), an 18-year-old yearning to see the bigger world; Pat (Ewan Stewart), the philandering married pub keeper; and the wistfully shy sheep farmer Ian (Sean McGinley), who is Kieran's older brother.

As the town's unmarried and precariously married men prepare for the arrival of their potential 'Made-in-USA' mates, seduction is in the air.

But when their scheme to entice American beauties to the annual village dance goes awry, the result is an unexpected spurt of romances with the least likely of women -- the ones who have been right in front of them all along.

It isn't long before the two factions view each other with newfound appreciation and lust to eventually settle into predictable pairs.

The Closer You Get, which is the feature debut of director Aileen Ritchie, is a gentle and predictable comedy -- a welcome distraction, but not much more.

Although The Full Monty producer Uberto Pasolini has tried to replicate his earlier success with this film, it does not quite touch you like The Full Monty did.

If it weren't for the performances, it would be easy to let your attention drift, as the story is so obvious that it almost invites disinterest.

The cast, virtually filled with unknowns, is believeable and at ease in its rural setup.

The Closer You Get is not deep but it does keep you entertained. And that is worth something.

CREDITS
Cast: Ian Hart, Sean McGinley, Niamh Cusack, Ruth McCabe, Ewan Stewart, Sean McDonagh, Cathleen Bradley, Pat Shortt
Director: Aileen Ritchie
Producer: Uberto Pasolini
Screenplay: William Ivory
Cinematography: Robert Alazraki
Music: Rachel Portman
Distributor: 20th Century Fox

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The Closer You Get