Veronica Guerin (movie)

[Violet]

Didn't see a thread on this movie. Saw Veronica Guerin yesterday & liked it. Of course, I am a Cate Blanchett fan. Kind of a dark movie. I never knew this history. Anyone else see it?

[ruadh]

Haven't seen it but it got rave reviews over here. Cate's accent is said to be (mostly) dead-on. I like her too, although I still think it's too bad they couldn't have found an Irish actress.

The film was criticised on a couple factual grounds, one being that it somewhat exaggerates the drugs crisis here (personally I think it's a pretty serious crisis but apparently there are some people who think the film overdid it). The other thing is that John Gilligan, the gangster Guerin took on, IRL dealt in cannabis and not heroin. He has actually stated that he is considering suing over this slur on his otherwise spotless character

How have the US critics rated it, generally? I know the NYTimes didn't like it.

[Violet]

Originally posted by ruadh
How have the US critics rated it, generally? I know the NYTimes didn't like it.

Until today I never read any reviews. I just went based on some trailers and my regard for Blanchett. Roger Ebert is a usual film critic on tv in the U.S., and he has comments at:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert...ronica17f.html

I think most people will like the acting by Blanchett, but not the overall movie.

Gilligan seems quite the bastard!

[ruadh]

Thanks Violet. Ebert gets a couple things wrong in that article (Martin Cahill wasn't killed for interfering with the IRA's drug trade - the IRA doesn't have a drug trade - but for colluding with opposing paramilitaries; and the Sunday Independent really is a rag), but it's an interesting perspective.

Have to wonder though, if she were Ronald Guerin, would he have made the comment about her not surviving to raise her (or in that case his) son?

[Violet]

Originally posted by ruadh
Have to wonder though, if she were Ronald Guerin, would he have made the comment about her not surviving to raise her (or in that case his) son?

Yeah, it does seem that the burden to "raise children" goes to the women. Maybe I only saw portions of info. on the children who lost parents on 9-11, but the big focus was more on women left behind with the kid(s) rather than dads left with them.

Interesting details on the history behind the movie. Thanks. I have not been to Dublin, but visited the southwest where it did not seem like a drug trade exists.

[ruadh]

Originally posted by Violet
I have not been to Dublin, but visited the southwest where it did not seem like a drug trade exists.

Oh, it does. It's probably just a lot less obvious.

But we're getting way off track here