The Actors

Released: May 13 2004
Cast: Michael Caine, Dylan Moran, Michael Gambon, Miranda Richardson, Lena Headey, Abigail Iverson.
Director: Conor McPherson
Genre: Comedy/Crime
Rated: MA15+ medium level coarse language, low level violence
Running Time: 92 Minutes



Synopsis:
Michael Caine and Dylan Moran star in this hilarious new comedy as O'Malley and Tom, a pair of hopeless Dublin actors, falling prey to the perils of method acting and finding themselves hurled into the criminal underworld. With the aid of cunning disguises they successfully swindle a local gangster, but then a mysterious London mobster comes into the picture, and the duo have to give the performance of their lives. 'The Actors' was shot on location in Dublin, Ireland between March and May 2002.

Michael Caine stepped into the shoes of ageing actor O'Malley alongside relative newcomer, comedian Dylan Moran, who played Tom. Michael Gambon as the bungling bad-boy Barreller, Lena Headey as his daughter Dolores, Miranda Richardson as villainous crime boss Magnani and Ben Miller as the geeky Clive, joined them. 'The Actors' also introduced little Abigail Iversen as Tom's niece Mary.

My Verdict:
'The Actors' is a fun comedy that can be taken lightly as intended. The story is told in five acts, as in a play, which enables the story to be filmed in blocks so that continuity can be forgiven for not always being apparent. Michael Caine as O'Malley, is his usual brilliant self as the B-grade actor, barely maintaining his dignity in repertory theatre when he stumbles upon a potential idea to increase his wealth. He proposes his idea to his fellow thespian, Tom, played by Dylan Moran, who is very reluctant to have anything to do with the idea. That is, until his flat is burned down and he beds down at his sister's house where his gorgeous niece, Mary, played ever so well by new-comer Abigail Iversen, helps him see that perhaps the idea isn't so scatty after all. Mary manages to steal just about all her scenes and even has a delightful moment when Michael Caine tells her to "f..k off". She is very intelligent and has a plan for every occasion.

For the most part, 'The Actors' is a comedy of errors and mistaken identity as Tom and O'Malley take on many guises to try and outwit the opposition, most of which you can see coming but that doesn't make them less funny. Sometimes the accents are unclear but this is a minor flaw. Overall this is a funny movie that shouldn't be taken too seriously, even with a sloppy conclusion that wraps it all up a little too neatly and too quickly. See it to see Michael Caine disguised (?) as a woman, as it is a real treat.

Rating : B-

Christina Bruce