An Everlasting Piece (2000)

Colm is a Catholic and George is a poetry-loving Protestant. In Belfast in the 1980s, they could have been enemies, but instead they became business partners. After persuading a mad wig ... See full summary »

Director:

Barry Levinson

Writer:

Barry McEvoy

Stars:

Barry McEvoy, Brían F. O'Byrne, Anna Friel

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Barry McEvoy	...	Colm
Brían F. O'Byrne	...	George
Anna Friel	...	Bronagh
Pauline McLynn	...	Gerty
Ruth McCabe	...	Mrs. O'Neill
Laurence Kinlan	...	Mickey
Billy Connolly	...	Scalper
Des McAleer	...	Mr. Black
Colum Convey	...	IRA Man
Ian Cregg	...	Milker
David Pearse	...	Comrade
Seamus Ball	...	Mr. Duggan
Enda Oates	...	Detective
Des Braiden	...	Vicar
George Shane	...	Billy King

Storyline

Colm is a Catholic and George is a poetry-loving Protestant. In Belfast in the 1980s, they could have been enemies, but instead they became business partners. After persuading a mad wig salesman, known as the Scalper, to sell them his leads, the two embark on a series of house calls--always in neighborhoods that are dangerous for one or the other partner. Then they find out they may lose their exclusive wig distributorship to competitors. Through a series of comic twists, the pair are given large orders for wigs by both sides of the Protestant/Catholic conflict. Should they compromise their principles in order to keep their business? Will it destroy their friendship? Could one of their wigs in the hands of the IRA actually put one or both of them in jail or even get them killed?

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Plot Keywords:

scalper | ireland | irish republican army | belfast northern ireland | alopecia | 

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Taglines:

Piece on Earth.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Cameo Productions (select film from menu)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 March 2001 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

Pile poil

Filming Locations:

Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,128, 25 December 2000, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$75,078, 14 January 2001

Company Credits

Production Co:

Baltimore Spring Creek Productions, Bayahibe Films Ltd., DreamWorks

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Producer Jerome O'Connor filed a $10 million lawsuit against DreamWorks for effectively burying the film so as not to offend the British government. DreamWorks head Steven Spielberg was rumored to receive an honor from The Queen but a wide release of the film (which lampoons the UK government's treatment of Northern Ireland) would have scuppered that. Consequently the film was released in just 6 cinemas - and Spielberg got his honor.

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Quotes

Mr. Black: [angry] Look, I told you: I don't know who you've been talking to but he's a fucking liar! You'll find no herpes here!
Colm: [surprised] Herpes?
Mr. Black: That's what you said.
George: No sir.
[points to his head]
George: Hair pieces.
Mr. Black: Oh. I thought you said 'herpes'.

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Connections

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

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Soundtracks

Under Pressure (with Queen)
Performed by David Bowie

User Reviews

Heavy and light, amusing, frightening and dark

This is a strange film. It can be very amusing, but also very frightening. You don't have to take sides in the conflict in Ireland to appreciate that the people there have been living on the edge for some time.

If you want Cheech or Chong then stay away. But if you want to feel uncomfortable, have a laugh, and perhaps feel just a little bit of empathy for your fellow human beings then this is a great film.

Personally, I could do with less F*ing language, but it is important to consider the characters involved. In real life they just don't go around saying 'golly gosh' and 'darn'.

Billy Connolly is a perfect choice for his role, and is an integral part of the film. A mad scotsman? Why? Because only the Irish have the strengh of character and mind to stay sane under the condition in which they have had to live. And even then .....

Don't watch this film for the laughs. Don't watch it for the actors. Don't even watch it for the sake of Billy Connolly. Watch it to see that spark of humanity that we sometimes refer to as the soul.