Redemption of a Rogue (2020) Poster

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6/10
Good movie, Great Soundtrack
sono235120 October 2021
The movie is worth a watch if you're in a certain kind of mood. The soundtrack is great. I've been shazaming song after song - just going to have to check out the soundtrack.

But yeah, the movie is worth a watch, and the soundtrack is excellent. It has witty dialogue and a good amount of charm to it. It is a bit dry, and not in a bad way, but just be prepared for that.
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7/10
Jet Black Comedy
cdownes-5640727 July 2022
Absurdity and farce rule the day in this black comedy. From the blues band in the rural pub to biblical rains to bodies in freezers with puzza. Not one to be analysed, just suspend reality, go with the flow and enjoy the ride.
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7/10
Drenched in dark humour - a drunken parable?
Bobalopacus20 October 2022
With themes touching on suicidal depression, child abuse and illness, disability, physical violence, death and biblical levels of sin and redemption - you might conclude this wasn't exactly a laugh-fest.

However, the portrayal of those undeniably dark subjects is often framed by dry, 'gallows' humour, wrapped in occasional surreal dream imagery or some other imaginative visual take. There's no pretension here either - it's an indie film, but this is less art-house more rough-house after a night at the pub.

I laughed out loud several times (to put that in context I am not unacquainted with depression myself, or indeed the real-life results of a suicide, there is a gulf of difference between laughing with these 'victims' and at them).

The soundtrack is pretty decent if you're into alt-blues/indie-folk, there are some scenes where it almost descends into a psych-musical (I wouldn't have minded it going further down that road).

Whilst the dark humour often works, and there is something approaching a positive take on redemption - there was, for me, also a prevalent undertone of near-nihilism - like the main protagonist - the film is navigating a perilous balancing act between hope and hopelessness.

To counter this, the line: 'You can think of multiple reasons to die, but only need one reason to live' could be offered as the spiritual core - also, sometimes you just have to laugh at the absurdity of life.
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8/10
Rogue isn't the word
YayNayorMeh6 November 2021
This is a jet black, absurdist comedy that works surprisingly well.

I would say that 'deeply traumatised man' would be a more accurate than 'rogue'. For varying reasons Aaron Monaghan's character is an outsider. Some reasons are personal and traumatic, some are public and enormously petty. Either way he's not in a good place. When the first thing you do when returning to your home town is buy some rope to hang yourself with, it says something. It also says something that the shop keeper gives sensible suicidal advice.

The black comedy tone is continued with a throwaway gag about child abuse and a serious discussion about the best way to maim someone. This is not a film to be approached lightly, but in my opinion it is one that works.

A surreal, deadpan, stylised gem.
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10/10
Nice Watch.
patriciabeglanpg3 January 2022
Great movie for adults to watch.

Very funny catchlines, especially when from rural Ireland.

Enjoyed it even more the second time round, and looking forward to watching it again !

Soundtrack is amazing.
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10/10
Great dialogue, music and wonderful acting
robhilken4 January 2022
Dark humour, heartbreak and sadness. A wonderful handcrafted tale that is as far from Hollywood as you can get. I can't wait to see what Doherty does next.
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10/10
Amazing low budget film
fqrtshjj26 March 2022
How the hell did they shoot a movie that takes place in the rain for 45K?

Saw this at Garden state film festival. Loved it. Truly funny and has some great music.
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10/10
Weirdly intriguing
mxbgwzkr19 October 2021
Happened upon this little gem of a movie by accident Quirky and funny and sad and rain and more rain highly recommend it. Oh and more rain.well acted.
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8/10
An Indie That Is...
lewilewis199710 January 2022
A truly original story based on biblical tales, so maybe not that original? But the interpretation is.

I couldn't fault the directing, every scene seems to be thought out to the nth degree with some very clever results and edits. I was hooked from the start and this film flew past, never a boring moment.

It's interesting that despite the low ratings every written review is highly positive. I figure that the low raters just don't have the intellect or attention span to understand a film without car chases and shoot outs or write anything at all?

The UK & Ireland have a wealth of excellent low budget Indie cinema, add this to the list. The soundtrack is also a plus, some very classy tracks are added at just the right time. Mostly folk/indie/blues, yet the momentary appearance of Can's Vitamin C, a personal favourite, had me singing along longer than the clip lasted.

Irish humour is definitely a thing, as this film proves. Would it be too much of a stretch to make this film a UN cultural site?

If you're thick as a rotten spud or think the pop charts are all there is, avoid. If you're not and don't, lap it up.
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8/10
Not a comedy - but worth seeing
plupu6620 November 2022
The low IMDB average rating is misleading. Not even sure how it was calculated as it has a lot of high scores (I calculated it myself based on ratings and percentages and I got an average of 6.62 - not 5.9. About 20% of voters gave it 10/10) The reviews are also quite positive.

This film is definitely not a comedy - dark or otherwise. It has the occasional giggle and tongue-in-cheek moments but it is dead serious and dark. It is not funny, but it is intriguing and entertaining.

It has quite a few religious references. A meditation about guilt, righteousness, the emptiness of organized religion, love, redemption and everything in between.

It is worth seeing as it is well constructed. At least the first 80% of it is very well done and keeps one interested and intrigued. In my opinion the ending was rushed and somewhat confusing.

Not for Hollywood-fare consumers.
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8/10
Deep Dark and funny
joeoreilly7 January 2022
A great script preformed by a brilliant cast. A Great look into rural Ireland and how no matter how long you go away for things never change but you can.
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8/10
A hidden surprise.
gazomg15 June 2022
I was not expecting much, but quite enjoyed this, it is dark, and funny if that is your thing, which is mine.

Good soundtrack, and some witty moments .

Was getting Nick Cave vibes of some of the dreams, and once you throw in Cavan and the rain, its a film you will like or hate.
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9/10
40 days in Cavan.
kieronpconnolly5 May 2023
I read that this movie cost around 100k to make. I've seen movies that cost multiples of this ( and then some ) and they wouldn't come close to this absolute gem. Money helps to be sure, but this proves that with the right script in the right directorial hands, anything is possible.

Jimmy, are you going to kill yourself when it stops raining?

Yes.

I hope it doesn't stop raining.

That little piece of dialogue is an absolute cracker, and totally in keeping with the rest of the script. The cast were magnificent, and the scene with Mary was a joy to behold. Kudos to the lighting throughout, and the editing was as good as it gets. This is well worth a watch.
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8/10
I'm not into artsy indie films... and this here isn't one of them
UrsusProblemus4 March 2022
The fact of the matter is - I honestly didn't have to force myself through this film. It's fresh, it's quietly emotional, it's genuinely funny, it's unique in its own way, and even as an atheist, I didn't feel bothered by the Biblical motives. Do give it a chance please - it's not even that long!
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