Rory O'Shea Was Here (2004)
"Inside I'm Dancing" (original title)

When the kinetic Rory moves into his room in the Carrigmore Residential Home for the Disabled, his effect on the home is immediate. Most telling is his friendship with Michael, a young man with cerebral palsy and nearly unintelligible speech. Somehow, Rory understands Michael, and encourages him to experience life outside the confines of home.

Director:

Damien O'Donnell

Writers:

Jeffrey Caine (screenplay), Christian O'Reilly (story)

Stars:

Steven Robertson, Alan King, James McAvoy

4 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steven Robertson	...	Michael Connolly
Alan King	...	Tommy
Brenda Fricker	...	Eileen
Ruth McCabe	...	Annie
James McAvoy	...	Rory O'Shea
Anna Healy	...	Alice
Tom Hickey	...	Con O'Shea
Sarah Jane Drummey	...	Girl in Pub
Rachel Hanna	...	Girl in Pub
Emmet Kirwan	...	Angry Man
Romola Garai	...	Siobhan
Pat Shortt	...	Nightclub Doorman
Stanley Townsend	...	Interview Panelist
Derbhle Crotty	...	Interview Panelist
Donal Toolan	...	Interview Panelist

Storyline

In Dublin, the crippled rebel Rory O'Shea moves to the Carrigmore Residential Home for the Disabled, affecting the lives of the residents. Rory is able to understand the unintelligible speech of Michael Connolly, who was left in the shelter by his prominent father many years ago due to his cerebral palsy, and they become close friends. Rory convinces Michael to move from Carrigmore to an apartment in Dublin, and they hire the gorgeous Siobhan to assist them. Living together with Rory, Michael faces a new world, finding friendship, love and freedom and learning to survive by his own.

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Plot Keywords:

residential home | cerebral palsy | friendship | love | friend | 

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Taglines:

Live life like you mean it.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [uk] Universal [us]

Country:

UK Ireland France

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 October 2004 (UK)

Also Known As:

Rory O'Shea Was Here

Filming Locations:

Dame Street, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$6,079 (USA) (4 February 2005)

Gross:

$21,864 (USA) (18 February 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

WT2 Productions, Bórd Scannán na hÉireann, Irish Film Board

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

James McAvoy would spend up to 12 hours a day in a wheelchair while filming.

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Quotes

Siobhan: Can I ask you something? Were you born like this?
Rory: Like what?
Siobhan: Dodgy hair and shit taste in music.

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Connections

References Thelma & Louise (1991)

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Soundtracks

"Easy"
Performed by Groove Armada
Courtesy of Jive

User Reviews

F****N' Amazin'

I just witnessed a movie that by all rights should have been fodder for a second rate MOW on Lifetime...but trust the Irish to keep it from being anything but saccharine. The set-up all but SCREAMS "Here's a message concerning what's TRULY important in life" but the execution was way into the "Let's see just what we can get away with, here."

It helps to have two fantastic actors in the leads -- James McAvoy (as Rory) and Stephen Robertson (as Michael). While Rory is offered up as the near saintly one -- never mind the language and attitude, he's the "life force" in this piece and could easily have been insufferable in his ultimately "caring" attitude -- McAvoy keeps him sharp enough to keep him from being too sweet. But the revelation is Stephen Robertson as Michael. Not since Leonardo Di Caprio in "...Gilbert Grape" has anyone so perfectly captured a person with an affliction that I began to believe he really was an actor with cerebral palsy. And his eyes...my God, he can rip you apart with them.

This movie is, to paraphrase Rory, f****n' amazing. Go see it. Take a box of Kleenex and enjoy every well-earned tear...and laugh.