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104 of 105 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Charming Fairy Tale, May 7, 2005
You may not immediately spot the leprechauns, wizards, and other tell-tale signs, but as you watch `Waking Ned Devine', you will soon realize that what you are seeing is an Irish fairy tale, simple and pure. The signs are all there, and if you are sharp, you will soon start to catch them. First to make its appearance is the pot of gold, disguised as a winning lottery ticket held by some lucky neighbor in the tiny village of Tulaigh Morh. Next, you will discover that the two old men scheming for a piece of the action, blarney filled Jackie O'Shea (Ian Bannen) and his expressive faced scarecrow pal Michael O'Sullivan (David Kelly), are but thinly disguised mischievous leprechauns. You will meet a hog keeper (James Nesbitt) waiting for the kiss of a fair maid (Susan Lynch) to reveal him for the prince that he is, and an old hag so black hearted and malevolent that all know her as a witch. And when Ned Devine, the neighbor with the winning ticket, dies from the shock of it, his ghost appears to old Jackie in a dream, setting in motion a plan fanciful as any Puss in Boots ever dreamed of that has the whole village working to outwit the vigilance of the lottery board and the malevolence of the witch, to all claim a piece of the fortune at rainbow's end.
`Waking Ned Devine' will enchant you and make you laugh. From its opening scene until the last verse of The Parting Glass is sung, it will charm you and leave you with a smile, wanting to watch it again.
Theo Logos
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56 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lovely, lovely...and holds up to repeated viewing, November 3, 2002
I first saw Waking Ned Devine in the movie theater. I quite enjoyed it at the time but had not seen it again until just this weekend. In contrast to essentially ALL comedies I have seen in recent years, this one holds up wonderfully to repeated viewing. It was even better than the first time. Every part, from the stars O'Bannon and Kelly to the smallest walk-ons, is wonderfuly acted. I particularly liked the old sourpuss who rode the motorized cart, the pig farmer, and the young priest. They are all so multidimensional that you can imagine what they are doing when they aren't on screen. The screenplay is wonderful, and the direction is expert. I especially liked the love scenes between Maggie and the pig farmer who smells so bad that she has to stay yards away from him at all times. Imagine an affecting, humorous, and believable love scene where the participants don't even touch each other! Another plus is that this is actually a great family movie. Although it is in no way designed for kids, my 8-year-old laughed all the way through it. He especially liked the famous naked motorcycle ride! Definitely worth owning (not just renting)!
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54 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful Irish (?) Comedy, March 8, 2000
I must admit that I bought this movie because of where it was filmed rather than because of the plot, although I was not at all disappointed with the latter. I found the combination of impeccable performance, gentle wit, occasional hilarity, evocative soundtrack and stunning scenery harmonised perfectly into a highly enjoyable whole. DVD audio and video quality is excellent although there is little otherwise to choose between VHS and DVD formats. Extras are limited to "text and photo" biographies of the cast and a Theatrical Trailer which gives away too many surprises - DO NOT WATCH THIS BEFORE WATCHING THE MOVIE. Many people may be surprised to discover that not a single frame of the movie was shot in Ireland, the filming actually taking place on the Isle of Man. Although more famous for its tail-less cats and the annual TT motorcycle races, tax concessions by the (Independent) Manx government have recently made the Island something of a haven for movie makers. The Isle of Man (which is almost exactly at the geographic centre of the British Isles) is in many ways an ideal location ; within its 220 square miles it possesses much of the landscape scenery found in the United Kingdom and Eire and enjoys a more favourable climate than either of its near neighbours. The dramatic cliffs of the Island's south-west coast are used to wonderful effect in Waking Ned Devine as are the beautiful, secluded bays and the narrow country lanes - the naked motorcycle ride has to be one of the most memorable scenes in any recent movie. The village of Tullymore in the movie is actually Cregneash, at the extreme southern tip of the Island. A large part of this village, with its thatched farmstead and cottages, is a living museum, part of Manx National Heritage. I would urge anyone who loved the scenery in this movie to visit and explore the Isle of Man should the opportunity arise. It has been a favourite haunt of mine for many years and is certain to feature in an increasing number of productions as its reputation as a film location grows.
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