Rory O'Shea Was Here (2004)

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:

James McAvoy, Steven Robertson, Romola Garai

5 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 | friend | freedom | 

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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 [United States]

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:

£219,256 (United Kingdom), 17 October 2004, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,079, 6 February 2005, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$21,864, 20 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

McAvoy was also in a wheelchair in X-Men

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Quotes

[after Siobhan has handed in her notice as their carer]
Rory: Take a letter, Michael. To Dublin City Council. "Dear Sir or Madam. As wheelchair users with suicidal intentions, I must protest at a lack of facilities. None of the bridges are equipped with easy parapet access, thus curtailing the rights of the disabled to throw themselves in. Yours in *disgust*, Rory Gerard O'Shea and Michael Connolly."

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Connections

References Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

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Soundtracks

Desert Boots
Written by Donal Coghlan and Gerry Leonard
Performed by Hinterland
Courtesy of Universal-Island Records Limited

User Reviews

Wow! One of the best films this year.

I saw this film with some friends of mine and i was totally blown away by the magnificent acting and a heart warming (and at times wrenching)script. The characters of Rory and Michael were as different as you could get yet somehow they just worked perfectly together.

I work in a cinema and so have seen many films this year but there is something about Inside I'm Dancing that has completely captured my imagination and I left the cinema thinking about issues that i've never really thought about before and i realized what a good life I have.

In a nutshell if you want a movie to make you laugh, cry, feel happiness, joy, anger and question your life then you have to see Inside i'm Dancing.

I can't wait for the DVD and hope this becomes a classic because it deserves to be.