Product Details

• Actors: Ian Hart, Sean McGinley, Niamh Cusack, Ruth McCabe, Ewan Stewart
• Directors: Aileen Ritchie
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• DVD Release Date: January 10, 2006
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000BOH8ZA
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #62,904 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  Movies & TV > Art House & International > European Cinema > Ireland

• For more information about "American Women" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

To get people into church, a young priest starts screening films every other Tuesday. He's expecting The Ten Commandments; instead, he gets 10, with Bo Derek, which launches the lonely lads of this isolated Irish town into wild fantasies about sexy American women. One rambunctious night in the local pub, the boys decide to place an ad in the Miami Herald, asking for attractive young women to come to their town for a dance and possible marriage. Thus begins American Women (formerly The Closer You Get), an enjoyable comedy in the vein of Waking Ned Devine. When the town's women learn of this hare-brained scheme, their reactions vary from bemusement to offense, and they set in motion a counter-scheme that changes the course of romance in the village. The cast is largely unknown (the most recognizable face is Ian Hart, who played John Lennon in Backbeat) but talented all around, investing their rural characters with heart and intelligence, without being afraid of poking a bit of fun at their foibles. American Women is produced by the same people who produced The Full Monty. While this movie treads similar territory (the sometimes conflicting desires of men and women), it has a little less comic punch and a little more Irish bittersweetness. --Bret Fetzer

Product Description

For five desperate Irishmen, the perfect girl is abroad... so they place an ad in a Miami newspaper, hoping to entice American beauties to their tiny Irish village. The scheme to stir up a bit of romance works, but not the way they'd planned. Because the harder the five friends look abroad, the more they realize that what they've been looking for is right next door.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, December 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: American Women [VHS] (VHS Tape)

One of my all time favorite movies. This is a truly funny film! No matter that it's a familiar theme--the characters are richly developed and endearing, and there are hilarious moments interwoven with poignant ones. I'm trying to find this movie on DVD, as it's also a favorite of my 24 year old daughter. The movie is timeless.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Closer You Get, October 29, 2001

By	Laura Coffing "larz2199" (west jordan, UT USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: American Women [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The Closer You Get- the harder it is to see the things that are staring you in the face- as the boys in this small Irish village find out. No matter where you live- you can relate to what the people of this small village feel (and do). The humor in this movie is light and refreshing. The music is just as fun (I recommend the soundtrack as well). This movie ranks up in my top 10 of the year.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enchanting Irish Comedy, October 5, 2000

By	"flickjunkie" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: American Women [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is a quaint and charming little comedy about life and love in rural northwestern Ireland. Though it was a fun flick, the question remains how many rural Irish comedies can we watch before the material starts to get stale? The story begins with the single men of this little town complaining that the women are substandard and there are no marriage prospects. After downing far too many pints, they decide to place an advertisement in the Miami Herald to see if they can induce some American women to come to Ireland to the big town dance. When the townswomen get wind of the scheme, they invite some Spanish fishermen to the same dance. The result is a succession of comical situations where everyone makes fools of themselves in anticipation of the big day. The net result of all this is the lesson Dorothy learned when she left Kansas; that when you are looking for your heart's desire, you don't have to look any further than your own backyard.

Aileen Ritchie's directorial debut was marked by some nice photography of well-selected locations and an alluring portrayal of the local color and appeal. The characters all seemed very genuine and unaffected; the way country folks generally are regardless of national origin. The scenes leading up to the dance work well, but the film bogs down after the dance as the tone changes from mirthful to dramatic.

The acting was generally good with a couple of standouts. Ian Hart stole the show as Kieran the headstrong town butcher. He was simultaneously affable and obnoxious. His character's complete obliviousness to how ridiculous he was gave Hart ample opportunity to become a laugh magnet. Niahm Cusack was also enchanting as Kate, mixing mischievousness with romantic appeal to create a delightful character.

I rated this film a 7/10. It is very light fare, silly enough that it will get a chuckle or two out of almost everyone.