Earthbound (2012)

Joe is an Alien on Earth. At least that is what his father told him before he died when Joe was eleven. He finds it difficult to adjust, and to find a compatible girl friend.

Director:

Alan Brennan

Writer:

Alan Brennan

Stars:

Rafe Spall, Jenn Murray, Stephen Hogan

2 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Rafe Spall	...	Joe Norman
Jenn Murray	...	Maria
Stephen Hogan	...	Dr.Richard Webb
David Morrissey	...	Bill Norman
Rory Keenan	...	Gordon
Aoife Duffin	...	Liz
Carrie Crowley	...	Vera Ellis
John Lynn	...	Phil
Milo Pilkington Massey	...	Young Joe
Ned Dennehy	...	Kilson
Peter Vollebregt	...	Brett 'Rocky' Calhoun
Robert Bannon	...	Jimmy
Jonathan Byrne	...	Dave
Fionnuala O'Shea	...	Nurse
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Brennan	...	Boy in park

Storyline

Young Joe is an alien living on Earth. At least that's what his father told him before he died when Joe was eleven. His father unsuccessfully wrote sci-fi stories, and Joe loves sci-fi. He has been told that he must not deal with humans, unless they are more than 85 percent compatible with himself. When we meet Joe again, he is 26, and the fantasy keeps him going. But is it a fantasy, or is it real? Joe's life changes radically when he meets a more than 85 percent compatible girl. Can Joe trust himself? Does he know what's real?

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Plot Keywords:

alien | quitting a job | written by director | medication | pills | 

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Taglines:

Is Joe really from outer space?...or is he just on another planet?

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Ireland

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 March 2013 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

Czlowiek z kosmosu

Filming Locations:

Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ripple World Pictures, Paper Dreams

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Spoofs The Matrix (1999)

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Soundtracks

Gabriel
Performed by Niall Mooney and Donn Lesko
Written by Niall Mooney and Donn Lesko
Published by Elevate Music Limited

User Reviews

Sci Fi Comedy Romance, an unusual mix that works well.

EARTHBOUND (2012 - Ireland) Raindance Film Festival review by Matthew Solo

On these little islands that sit somewhere off the coast of mainland Europe and a long way from mainstream America, we do things quite differently. Our comedies are different, our romantic films are different, and when we combine the two, the results are often quirky, usually touching and invariably funny – to us at least.

EARTHBOUND is exactly that combination of results. Now before I go any further, we are not talking Four Weddings here, our feet are firmly strapped to the ground of low budget independent cinema. However, throwing science fiction into the mix, this film is a charming and ambitious debut by Alan Brennan. Made in Ireland and shot in a mere 20 days, EARTHBOUND never sets any false pretences of what you can expect. It's easy to empathise with Joe (Rafe Spall), who is convinced he's an alien from the planet Zalaxon. And we sympathise with Maria (Jenn Murray), his super cute girlfriend who breaks the news to him that his intergalactic fantasies are nothing but just that. And the supporting cast is equally strong, including David Morrissey who was attracted to the project by the story.

The special effects are obviously constrained by budget, but you don't care! The whole film works due to the interplay between the leads and the humour of the storyline. The script really is fun and the cast deliver it well. It's not often you get to see an independent sci-fi film that embraces comedy and romance as well (if at all for that matter), but EARTHBOUND is an easy to watch excursion through all three. It's also not often I laugh out loud in the cinema, but I found myself not alone in doing so.

Hearing the director and cast talk about their adventures making the film, you can see their comic chemistry in action and wonder when they'll be back. Let's hope it's not too many light years away.