An Everlasting Piece

An Everlasting Piece is definitely one of the better Irish comedies I've seen in a long time. Though not on par with the Barrytown Trilogy or Divorcing Jack, the three leading characters are witty and strong. I'm very partial to Brian F. O'Byrne's thoughtful, subdued yet humorous portrayal of Protestant George Post. His best line is arguably, "He's as Orange as that chair." The film features many funny and poignant moments that make the film enjoyable to anyone who appreciates Ireland and its people.

I have to disagree with some of the other comments on this film. In my opinion it is one of the cleverest satires that I have seen but you have to concentrate on it and not expect it to be obviously realistic. It is very well written, acted and directed with an extremely clever ending. Reminiscent of the ability of Noel Coward or Oscar Wilde to depict human frailty in a comical light (but missing the blistering dialogue of the latter). The word "wry" comes to mind and its only faults are some slowness in building up to the ending and, while most of the characters are deliberately portrayed as rather childish and naive, some are a little overdone. In particular, Colm's definition of when an action is "a gesture" is absolutely superb satire. This film is wit, not comedy in the rather obvious sense which so often prevails these days. I would give it a "much better than average" rating for a discerning viewer who wants something better than what is mostly on offer.

"An Everlasting Piece" is a lively, smart little comedy which tells of two barbers in 1980's Belfast, one Prot and the other Catholoic, who start a toupee business and struggle to succeed against the adversity of a divided Ireland, commercial competition, and their own religious/political alignments. "AEP" is solid throughout with fresh faces, a good musical score, a clever and spunky story, lots of wry Irish wit and a few poignant moments too. Not your usual slappy-sticky comedy fare, "AEP" will appeal most to those who appreciate wry comedic subtleties. If you don't love the Irish, find another movie.

Barry Levinson hits the nail on the head (or rather the hair on the head) with "An Everlasting Piece", the story of an odd relationship that grows out of the toupee business.

The film is amusing throughout and while some might consider the storyline contrived, the characters exhibit both depth and morals as the relationship between the toupee business partners grows.

It was particularly enlightening to see a film set against the Irish conflict in Belfast during the 1980's and to get a better understanding of what might have been like in that time and place.

Highly recommended for what it is; light entertainment with underlying social commentary.

This film was great for exactly what it was: a comedic drama with honest political/cultural commentary.

Set during the 1980's in the British-controlled portion of Ireland, "An Everlasting Piece" is about a Catholic and a Protestant barber who set off to win a monopoly as hair-piece salesman in the north of Ireland.

The style of comedy was what I would call "very British-like". It had that dry and witty sense of humor that is so terrific if you appreciate that sort of thing (just for the record, I'm usually a fan).

As far as the cultural/political commentary goes, an earlier post pointed out that George's family is non-existent in this movie, and that the story revolves around an almost entirely Catholic cast. My response is that to include the Protestant side of the story would have been impossible. To include the loyalist populace (and thus the loyalist paramilitaries, since there would have to be a balancing cinematic force countering the story of the IRA) would have required probably another 3 hours. I think this movie is really about the Catholic-Catholic confrontation. You've an IRA man who says "I want more than to just survive," in an era of unequal rights and opportunities for Irish Catholics, just as it was for the African Americans 2 decades before the film takes place. Then you have a Catholic who believes in "the cause" (ideologically speaking), yet has a Protestant friend who is obviously not concerned with politics or consumed with partisan hatred. The political/cultural issue here is the fact that the ideal the IRA was fighting for in the '80's (at the time, equal rights through union with the Irish Republic)) was legitimate in many respects- yet at what expense?

In the end the "film" is a movie- it is heart-warming entertainment that gives the viewer a general sense of one of the overall issues facing Ireland in the '80's, and it gives a lot of chuckles. It'll make you laugh, feel, and even make you think- so it's worth at least the rental price.