Life's a Breeze is a small, family oriented drama from Ireland starring Fionnula Flanagan as a retired school teacher whose adult children decide to clean up their mom's house as a birthday present. The problem is, that with the stuff they throw out, is an old mattress with the old lady's life savings in it. Thus begins a wild goose chase to recover the missing money. Flanagan is great here, as she was previously in The Guard(a must see Irish comedy), and Kill the Irishman, an excellent true crime story. Her granddaughter, Emma(newcomer Kelly Thornton), is a breath of fresh air in her numerous scenes with Flanagan. The eighty minutes go by quickly and had me laughing and rooting for a happy outcome. The cast is all good and the script witty enough to make Life's a Breeze worth watching.
15 Reviews
A great feel-good Irish comedy that'll restore your faith in your family
stuart-comerford27 December 2013
Of course, it's an Irish film, so it's ha-ha-ha laugh your head off funny - you should absolutely see it because it's the greatest film of the year and there's nothing quite like it! (Sarcasm intended)
It's a deep-rooted Irish comedy, and plays on the fact that we love to laugh at ourselves - which for some, works, and for others, doesn't. It's far from being a masterpiece, but it's a feel-good comedy that'll give you a few chuckles on occasion because you will, without a doubt, be able to relate some of the story to your own life.
The film is filled with beautiful shots of the not-so-beautiful Dublin city, and is a very enjoyable visual experience with some lovely cinematography. So, visually, it's a very solid viewing experience. However, it may not be the most well assembled story ever made - it survives mostly on the characters and their relationships with each other, but with a few twists along the way, it does leave you wondering whether or not the money actually exists, or "nan's gone crazy".
"Life's a Breeze" has a well assembled cast, including the Emmy-winning Fionnula Flanagan as the grandmother. Pat Shortt as 'Colm', and the terrific Kelly Thornton as the young girl 'Emma'. Thornton and Flanagan form an adorably lovable pair on screen, while Shortt brings come stereotypical Irish comedy into the mix. Along their journey to find the money the trio encounter many quirky situations that cause multiple clashes among the rest of the family but when it all comes to a close you'll be left with a sense of restored faith in your own family, and a bit of home for the people you surround yourself with.
"Life's a Breeze" is a lovable comedy that's absolutely worth a watch if you're a fan of Irish production, but maybe not your cup of tea if you're over-judgmental of what you choose to spend your time watching.
www.StuartComerford.com Twitter: @StuartComerford
It's a deep-rooted Irish comedy, and plays on the fact that we love to laugh at ourselves - which for some, works, and for others, doesn't. It's far from being a masterpiece, but it's a feel-good comedy that'll give you a few chuckles on occasion because you will, without a doubt, be able to relate some of the story to your own life.
The film is filled with beautiful shots of the not-so-beautiful Dublin city, and is a very enjoyable visual experience with some lovely cinematography. So, visually, it's a very solid viewing experience. However, it may not be the most well assembled story ever made - it survives mostly on the characters and their relationships with each other, but with a few twists along the way, it does leave you wondering whether or not the money actually exists, or "nan's gone crazy".
"Life's a Breeze" has a well assembled cast, including the Emmy-winning Fionnula Flanagan as the grandmother. Pat Shortt as 'Colm', and the terrific Kelly Thornton as the young girl 'Emma'. Thornton and Flanagan form an adorably lovable pair on screen, while Shortt brings come stereotypical Irish comedy into the mix. Along their journey to find the money the trio encounter many quirky situations that cause multiple clashes among the rest of the family but when it all comes to a close you'll be left with a sense of restored faith in your own family, and a bit of home for the people you surround yourself with.
"Life's a Breeze" is a lovable comedy that's absolutely worth a watch if you're a fan of Irish production, but maybe not your cup of tea if you're over-judgmental of what you choose to spend your time watching.
www.StuartComerford.com Twitter: @StuartComerford
Enjoyable Irish film although it runs far too long
ricky_says_hi12 August 2013
I saw a screening of this film in the Irish Film Institute and the only actor I knew in it was Fionnuala Flanagan who played Mrs Mills in The Others. However it was supposed to be good so I went anyway.
The film's story is that Flanagan plays the elderly mother to a group of grown-up children that are utterly horrible human beings one way or another. They actually decide to do something nice for their mother and remodel her house while she's out. Unfortunately she reveals that her old mattress that they threw out contained all her life savings - nearly a million. Thus the hunt for the lost mattress begins. Things escalate even further when the youngest son (Pat Shortt) makes an announcement on the radio and it turns into a nationwide sensation.
The film's main bad points are that it runs far too long. It's clear that there are several scenes in the film that are there just to pad out the running time. They have nothing really to do with the main plot and if you removed them, they wouldn't affect the film at all. Among these are an extended sequence where the youngest son believes he has won the lottery only to discover the grandmother and granddaughter have fooled him with Sky plus TV. Also a scene where they throw the mother an 80th birthday party complete with a stripper. The scenes are funny but do nothing for the film and they're obvious filler so watching them becomes tiring. You want them to be over so you can go back to the actual plot.
The film does have good points, notably in its cast. Flanagan and Shortt work well together as the two main draws. Flanagan is a breath of fresh air from the traditional cranky yet sassy stereotypical Irish old lady. However the best performance from the film is the actress who plays the teenage granddaughter. The girl had very good comic timing and seemed very natural on camera. She's definitely one to watch out for, though hopefully Fair City is out of the question. The rest of the cast were all nice and witty too.
The film was well written and well made. I was surprised to find out that some scenes were filmed in Sweden. You'd never be able to tell though. The film's music was also very nice. It really complimented the whole thing and made it an enjoyable experience.
So in short it was a nice little well-made film. However it was let down by the obvious padding which came across as lazy writing.
The film's story is that Flanagan plays the elderly mother to a group of grown-up children that are utterly horrible human beings one way or another. They actually decide to do something nice for their mother and remodel her house while she's out. Unfortunately she reveals that her old mattress that they threw out contained all her life savings - nearly a million. Thus the hunt for the lost mattress begins. Things escalate even further when the youngest son (Pat Shortt) makes an announcement on the radio and it turns into a nationwide sensation.
The film's main bad points are that it runs far too long. It's clear that there are several scenes in the film that are there just to pad out the running time. They have nothing really to do with the main plot and if you removed them, they wouldn't affect the film at all. Among these are an extended sequence where the youngest son believes he has won the lottery only to discover the grandmother and granddaughter have fooled him with Sky plus TV. Also a scene where they throw the mother an 80th birthday party complete with a stripper. The scenes are funny but do nothing for the film and they're obvious filler so watching them becomes tiring. You want them to be over so you can go back to the actual plot.
The film does have good points, notably in its cast. Flanagan and Shortt work well together as the two main draws. Flanagan is a breath of fresh air from the traditional cranky yet sassy stereotypical Irish old lady. However the best performance from the film is the actress who plays the teenage granddaughter. The girl had very good comic timing and seemed very natural on camera. She's definitely one to watch out for, though hopefully Fair City is out of the question. The rest of the cast were all nice and witty too.
The film was well written and well made. I was surprised to find out that some scenes were filmed in Sweden. You'd never be able to tell though. The film's music was also very nice. It really complimented the whole thing and made it an enjoyable experience.
So in short it was a nice little well-made film. However it was let down by the obvious padding which came across as lazy writing.
Well, I'm a sucker for tri-generational slice of life movies.
rooprect26 November 2015
"Little Miss Sunshine", "Chocolat", maybe even the Japanese masterpiece "Kikujiro", and "Life's a Breeze". These are all excellent films that tell an entertaining story involving 3 generations, focusing mostly on the odd relationship between a 1st generation grandparent figure & a third generation teenager. In each case, the plot isn't what you'd call nail biting suspense, and in fact the stories themselves are pretty mundane. But the payoff is in the interesting views between old & young.
By the way, if you haven't read the DVD back cover yet, then DON'T. It uses some phrases which I consider to be major spo!lers. Since the story itself is pretty simple, you'll probably have a better time if you know nothing about it. Let's just say it's about an urban adventure, set in Ireland (Dublin I assume?), involving a family of weirdos.
The humor is pretty tame, no real laugh-out-loud zingers, but the entire presentation is so witty and light hearted that you'll probably find yourself with a good smirk planted on your face throughout.
A subtle bonus is the way this film shows us the underbelly of Irish society, I'm talking about poor families, garbage dumps (literally), homeless hangouts and other unglamorous facets of life. And yet it doesn't hit you over the head with some preachy social message about it all. The scenes simply provide a contextual backdrop behind the story. Certainly a different approach than your typical glossy Hollywood fare.
Although all performances were great, I'd say the show stealer was newcomer Kelly Thornton who was 15 years old during production. Apparently she was discovered while she was walking down the street. Director Lance Daly has a flair for finding "unprofessional" young actors and eliciting the greatest performances out of them. He did the same with his two young leads in his excellent 2008 film "Kisses" about two young runaways living on the streets of Dublin. Here he does the same with his young star, and the result is a genuine performance as only a non-actor can do.
If you're a fan of the films I mentioned above, or any coming-of-age comedy dramas like "The Squid and the Whale" or another gem I recently saw called "The Way, Way Back", then don't hesitate to check this out. And recycle your trash! (watch the movie and you'll see what I mean)
By the way, if you haven't read the DVD back cover yet, then DON'T. It uses some phrases which I consider to be major spo!lers. Since the story itself is pretty simple, you'll probably have a better time if you know nothing about it. Let's just say it's about an urban adventure, set in Ireland (Dublin I assume?), involving a family of weirdos.
The humor is pretty tame, no real laugh-out-loud zingers, but the entire presentation is so witty and light hearted that you'll probably find yourself with a good smirk planted on your face throughout.
A subtle bonus is the way this film shows us the underbelly of Irish society, I'm talking about poor families, garbage dumps (literally), homeless hangouts and other unglamorous facets of life. And yet it doesn't hit you over the head with some preachy social message about it all. The scenes simply provide a contextual backdrop behind the story. Certainly a different approach than your typical glossy Hollywood fare.
Although all performances were great, I'd say the show stealer was newcomer Kelly Thornton who was 15 years old during production. Apparently she was discovered while she was walking down the street. Director Lance Daly has a flair for finding "unprofessional" young actors and eliciting the greatest performances out of them. He did the same with his two young leads in his excellent 2008 film "Kisses" about two young runaways living on the streets of Dublin. Here he does the same with his young star, and the result is a genuine performance as only a non-actor can do.
If you're a fan of the films I mentioned above, or any coming-of-age comedy dramas like "The Squid and the Whale" or another gem I recently saw called "The Way, Way Back", then don't hesitate to check this out. And recycle your trash! (watch the movie and you'll see what I mean)
Irish dramady
deloudelouvain14 March 2015
I just finished watching this movie and I have to say that it's not always the movies with a high budget that are the best. I enjoyed this Irish dramady. The filming was simple but effective, no need for any spectacular scenes, just day-to-day shots out of the suburbs. All actors did a fine job, especially the grandmother played by Fionnula Flanagan and her grand-daughter Emma played by Kelly Thornton. The search for the missing money, the disbelief of nan's story, the different relationships between the family members all made it a nice movie to watch. There was enough subtle humor to bring a smile on my face every now and then. Certainly worth a watch.
A strange movie
blumdeluxe28 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
"Life's a breeze" tells the story of an elderly woman with a lot of children that aren't really able to stand on their own feet. When they want to do her a favor and give her house a make-over, they accidentally throw out almost a million euros in an old mattress. From there a wild chase throughout the city begins to get back the money.
In general the film looks like one of those independent productions that center around a dysfunctional family but still manages to find the beauty within. However, the beginning as well as the ending come somewhat surprising and leave the film without a proper frame. Additionally, I find it kind of in-consequent to base a movie with the depicted characters on a favor that would cost them a huge amount of money that they obviously can't have in their situation. Surely, there are a lot of beautiful moments and there is some wisdom in the message, still the last bit is missing that makes this movie something really special.
All in all this is not a story you've never heard before but it is definitely worth a watch. If you're looking for a nice little movie that leaves you in a somewhat melancholic mood, this could be your choice.
In general the film looks like one of those independent productions that center around a dysfunctional family but still manages to find the beauty within. However, the beginning as well as the ending come somewhat surprising and leave the film without a proper frame. Additionally, I find it kind of in-consequent to base a movie with the depicted characters on a favor that would cost them a huge amount of money that they obviously can't have in their situation. Surely, there are a lot of beautiful moments and there is some wisdom in the message, still the last bit is missing that makes this movie something really special.
All in all this is not a story you've never heard before but it is definitely worth a watch. If you're looking for a nice little movie that leaves you in a somewhat melancholic mood, this could be your choice.
It really doesn't matter if they find the money, it's the journey together that is the real treasure.
face-819-93372617 February 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Sweet messed up family get their lives thrown into chaos, and are all the better for it. Life's a Breeze, then we are the paper people that it blows around at it's whim. This is a well told story acted perfectly by all of the players. Not a big Hollywood movie, but it certainly just as good. The most beautiful moments of this movie are spent surrounded by rubbish, and gulls. I really Enjoyed the full cast of characters, and was really impressed at the way the country came together in spirit even if just for a small time. Ireland please keep making these great movies. I recommend this movie to anyone from young to old, there is someone in here for you to relate to, and others that you will feel you already know.
Cannot recommend
robtaday9 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I got this movie because I usually enjoy films of this genre. I think what bothers me most about recent Irish and/or English and/or Australian films is the utter passivity of the people depicted. I always find myself screaming, grow a pair already!
Like wise with this one. I cannot say that I liked any character depicted, particularly the way in which being on welfare is taken with such a blasé attitude by all of the adults - uh, men in particular. Greedy, freeloaders, the whole lot and that is supposed to provide humor? And then you have the matriarch telling the granddaughter that essentially religion is hogwash which seems more typical of the English than the Irish.
Were I and my grown siblings looking for a purported million bucks inadvertently thrown away, I think we would be a bit more aggressive when faced with opposition from opportunistic outsiders. Not these guys. Wimps, the whole lot. And for the granddaughter to throw her lowlife uncle a bone at the end was just too much. And where did all of the skepticism come from towards the mother not to mention their quickness to believe everything they heard from outsiders? Now, THAT I can identify with.
A complete thumbs down from me. If this is what passes as sweet, sentimental, feel-good comedy, then I will take a pass. The only people I can see liking this film are people who are just like these characters and thus have some sort of weird empathy for them.
Like wise with this one. I cannot say that I liked any character depicted, particularly the way in which being on welfare is taken with such a blasé attitude by all of the adults - uh, men in particular. Greedy, freeloaders, the whole lot and that is supposed to provide humor? And then you have the matriarch telling the granddaughter that essentially religion is hogwash which seems more typical of the English than the Irish.
Were I and my grown siblings looking for a purported million bucks inadvertently thrown away, I think we would be a bit more aggressive when faced with opposition from opportunistic outsiders. Not these guys. Wimps, the whole lot. And for the granddaughter to throw her lowlife uncle a bone at the end was just too much. And where did all of the skepticism come from towards the mother not to mention their quickness to believe everything they heard from outsiders? Now, THAT I can identify with.
A complete thumbs down from me. If this is what passes as sweet, sentimental, feel-good comedy, then I will take a pass. The only people I can see liking this film are people who are just like these characters and thus have some sort of weird empathy for them.
Worth it just to see Fionnula and Kelly.
Franklie22 April 2015
This is a fun film which we chose to watch because we enjoy films shot in the UK and because we're huge fans of Fionnula Flanagan. Once again, she stole the show (and saved it) along with Kelly Thornton who plays her granddaughter. We LOVED that Fionnula's character didn't do any shouting, which annoyingly seems to be the norm these days in most shows. ... We would have enjoyed the whole story a bit more (and we'd be able to recommend it to more people) if the vocabulary hadn't been foul and if the dipwads of the story had had more of a comeuppance. Otherwise, it delivered a good story with great cinematography, fun moments, poignant moments, and the annoying characters didn't get so annoying that the show was no longer entertainment, which, again, happens much too often in film today.
Laughing fatalism.
paulcreeden12 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This film captures a deep-rooted process of many Irish families. The tired matriarch, widowed by an alcoholic husband, dealing with too many children who don't ever quite grow up. The layers of humor and tragedy are well woven in this folksy comedy. The road to hell, paved with good intentions. One of my favorite Irish phrases from my own father. Another one also applies: No good deed goes unpunished. The acting is predictably captivating. The role of the adolescent granddaughter is well written and played. The interaction between grandmother and skeptical granddaughter, opposite poles of a woman's life, is charming, subtle and moving. This isn't Shakespeare. There is no car chase, though there is a speeding shopping cart scene. It is good fun. Not frivolous, but also not overwrought.
Sweden?
alanhighley12 March 2015
Enjoyed this movie immensely. I agree that some scenes were somewhat irrelevant. Pity there is not much bio on Emma on IMDb. Her last part about crediting Colm with finding the mattress is a beautiful act of kindness and clever psychology. I've been to Dublin twice, once in 1958 and again in 2006. The contrast and change between these two years in terms of scruffiness and graffiti is so disappointing. Nevertheless, there are many points in the city's favour and I would like to visit again. Like many Irish films, the dialogue (Irish accent) can be difficult to follow for our American cousins and those who do not have English mother tongue. Finally, I am curious as to what part of the movie was filmed in Sweden and why?
It's a mad mad Dublin
ComedyFan201016 April 2018
When her family throws out her old stuff away and proudly presents her a new bed Nan tells them that the old mattress they had thrown away had nearly 1 million euros in it. This makes them go on a quest to find the mattress.
The movie is pretty hilarious and reminds me of the old classic It's a mad mad mad world. Only in this case the family looks for the mattress together, even though they are extremely dysfunctional and greedy (but then who wouldn't be knowing that there is a million somewhere you can soon use).
The characters are very colorful and present us with many hilarious scenes. Like the lottery scene for example. Besides that there is this great connection between Nan and her granddaughter Emma.
A recommendable movie. It is pretty hilarious to watch it wondering if they will find the mattress, where they will find it and if there is really all that money in it.
The movie is pretty hilarious and reminds me of the old classic It's a mad mad mad world. Only in this case the family looks for the mattress together, even though they are extremely dysfunctional and greedy (but then who wouldn't be knowing that there is a million somewhere you can soon use).
The characters are very colorful and present us with many hilarious scenes. Like the lottery scene for example. Besides that there is this great connection between Nan and her granddaughter Emma.
A recommendable movie. It is pretty hilarious to watch it wondering if they will find the mattress, where they will find it and if there is really all that money in it.
Depressing
professordanielrodrigues31 May 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this in NetFlix where it was labeled as a "comedy", I needed a few laughs (I'd just watched "Interstellar" the day before, if you have not yet spare yourself READ MY REVIEW on it). But so, about this movie, it was a letdown, the whole family and their lives and attitudes are depressing, one or two moments in which I smiled slightly but that was it. The characters and the story COULD have made for a very funny comedy, but they so wanted to show the lack of perspective of the poor that it never caught on as comedy. The moment when the family hires a stripper for grandma's birthday was simply gross in my view. This is DRAMA, not comedy, and a rather sad tale at that.
Irish indie
SnoopyStyle17 May 2021
In Dublin, embarrassed teen Emma is told to accompany her grandmother Nan (Fionnula Flanagan) who lives with her idiot son Colm. It's actually an excuse for her adult kids to come and renovate her home without her knowledge. They throw out much of her belongings including her mattress. Unbeknownst to them, she had hidden her life savings in the mattress which amounts to about a million euros.
This is a black comedy Irish indie. I guess black comedy and Irish indie amount to the same thing. It's an endearing dysfunctional family headed by the magnetic Fionnula Flanagan. She does everything with little more than a look. She controls this movie from the sidelines. Additional praise for Pat Shortt who allows himself to be the butt of the joke. There is some heart, some humor, and some pathos. The running time is a little short and I wonder if the third act could handle another five minutes. This is fun little indie.
This is a black comedy Irish indie. I guess black comedy and Irish indie amount to the same thing. It's an endearing dysfunctional family headed by the magnetic Fionnula Flanagan. She does everything with little more than a look. She controls this movie from the sidelines. Additional praise for Pat Shortt who allows himself to be the butt of the joke. There is some heart, some humor, and some pathos. The running time is a little short and I wonder if the third act could handle another five minutes. This is fun little indie.
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