Ordinary Decent Criminal (2000)

Brilliant, flamboyant master criminal Michael Lynch is more interested in his image and his posterity than the actual profit from his ill-gotten gains.

Director:

Thaddeus O'Sullivan

Writer:

Gerard Stembridge

Stars:

Kevin Spacey, Linda Fiorentino, Peter Mullan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Spacey	...	Michael Lynch
Linda Fiorentino	...	Christine Lynch
Peter Mullan	...	Stevie
Stephen Dillane	...	Noel Quigley
Helen Baxendale	...	Lisa
David Hayman	...	Tony Brady
Patrick Malahide	...	Commissioner Daly
Gerard McSorley	...	Harrison
David Kelly	...	Fr. Grogan
Gary Lydon	...	Tom Rooney
Paul Ronan	...	Billy Lynch
Colin Farrell	...	Alec (as Colin Farrel)
Vincent Regan	...	Shay Kirby
Tim Loane	...	Jerome Higgins
Christoph Waltz	...	Peter

Storyline

Michael Lynch is Dublin's most notorious criminal, his brazen robberies making him the bane of the Gardaí and a hero to his fellow working class city Northsiders. When not playing happy families with his two wives - sisters Christine and Lisa - and his children, Lynch is busy plotting elaborate heists, thinking as much about the showmanship of it all as he is the loot involved. On his case is Garda Noel Quigley, his determination to convict Lynch slowly turning into an obsession. Inevitably, a showdown looms.

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Plot Keywords:

irish republican army | irishman | bedtime story | disguise | art museum | 

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Taglines:

Michael just loves taking the law into his own hands!

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some violence and sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kevin Spacey would later recommend Colin Farrell to director Joel Schumacher, with whom he had made " A Time to Kill". Schumacher would give Farrell his first Hollywood break in the critically acclaimed " Tigerland".

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Goofs

The priest (having found Caravaggio) talks about Holy Veronica in the Gospel of Luke.

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Quotes

Christine Lynch: [to Michael] You know what you are? Wouldn't be everybody's cup of tea, but it suits me.

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Connections

References Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

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Soundtracks

The Floating Crowbar
Traditional
Arranged by Arty McGlynn
Used by kind permission of Emerald Music
Performed by Arty McGlynn
Courtesy of Emerald Records

User Reviews

Not as funny as it tries to be

Who doesn't like witty, lovable criminals, who out wit every copper and other rival criminals in a heartbeat? That's a crime movie genre, which actually appeals to me: smart dialogs, funny action and so on.

So, in "Ordinary Decent Criminal" we have one of the greatest living actors, Kevin Spacey, who is playing Irish mobster named Michael Lynch, and he's just such a fellow I described. There's also Colin Farrell in a small role as one of the thugs in Michael's gang. Actually rather good acting all around from all of the actors and that's the only reason this movie stays afloat, because the script is not that funny as it tries to be.

Sure, it has couple of good laughs in it, but most of the jokes feel little forced.

Direction is pretty decent, not worst thing ever directed, but certainly not the greatest crime movie either.

Good for couple of laughs.

Details

Country:

Ireland Germany UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 January 2000 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

Ordinary Decent Criminal

Filming Locations:

Wicklow Mountains, Ireland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bórd Scannán na hÉireann, Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Icon Entertainment International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min 85 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1