The Green Sea (2021) User Reviews

Yawwwnnnnnn

[svader · 4/10 · 14 February 2022]

Boring lot of tosh.

A drunk takes in a child to clean her house what she drinks and talks rubbish all day.

A skinny man with glasses pops up now and then.

Drunk is redeemed and stops drinking.

Don't watch this. It tries to be arty in a modern way by the hiding the message of to he film in amongst the poor acting and nonsense story.

It's not misdirection, it's just a cheat.

[YayNayorMeh · 4/10 · 26 July 2021]

When I came across this film I was intrigued. An independent Irish film starring the awesome Katherine Isabelle with a trailer that made it look like a mind-bending tale of questionable realities. The type of film I really gravitate towards. I was even more intrigued when I saw that it was directed by an Irish aristocrat.

Unfortunately it doesn't work.

The trailer had prepared me for a film where the physical existence of "The Kid" was up for debate. The fact she doesn't have a name and she's a character in what Katherine Isabelle is writing adds to that idea. It's the same trope we've seen for decades in many different types of film, most notably in Fight Club. Plunkett then procedes to shoot the film as if that is going to be the truth. The only person who talks to or sees "The Kid" is Isabelle, persistant hints at the traumatic back story of Isabelle, the fact she's almost always drunk. A problematic character dealing with her issues in a very unhealthy way.

It turns out that's not what we should have been focusing on. The quirks of "The Kid" are the more important factors. The strange way she reacts to coffee is notable, but given the directions the film eventually goes in, there should have been more. If we are going to have such a radical change of direction and genre then in my opinion it should have been built up to. Have more hints that she's 'off' and we will follow you down the strange (and mildly confusing) paths the film goes into by the end. As it is the revelations come out of nowhere and are under-explored.

There are also very basic things that the 21st Baron Dunsany could have corrected. We've seen the scenario where a problematic character has their car graffitied, but when it's black paint on a black jeep, you can't actually read it. Having title cards that are red text on a black background also turns out to be very hard to read on a tablet screen (which lets face it is how this movie is mostly going to be seen).

Randal Plunkett had an idea. I'm not entirely sure what that idea was, because a little more exposition would have been helpful. He got that idea made with an excellent cult actress and turned it into a mediocre film. Shame. I think this had potential.

Lord Dunsany's The Green Sea a wonderful original fantasy

[michaelparle1 · 3 July 2021]

Lord Dunsany, Randal Plunkett has created a film that is rich and deep in meaning with many layers to immerse oneself in, a world full of characters both weird wonderful dark & light in a gorgeous bleak Irish landscape of wind, rain, hopes, dreams & fantasy he skilfully weaves the story

with outstanding performances from all of the cast but especially by its leads the always excellent Katharine Isabelle "Simone" in a career best performance & Ireland's brightest star Hazel Doupe as "The KId" their chemistry is electric

If you want to be transported uplifted taken on an original journey of mystery and fantasy dont miss this outstanding piece of cinematic art.

Unbearable Garbage

[mcjensen-05924 · 1/10 · 13 August 2023]

I will never understand why movie makers want to make their lead character completely nasty and unlikeable in the first ten minutes of a film. This is what happens here. In fact there's not one person in this mess that acts anywhere near like a genuine actual person would. Not even the lovely Katharine Isabelle can bring any credibility. In fact most of her movies plain stink except for American Mary, which was darkly humorous and rather unique and brilliant. Anyway, there's no need for this movie to be set in Ireland, no need for her to be a drunk, and no need for her to be a black metal fan. All completely irrelevant to what passes for a plot in this reeking stink fest. No redeeming qualities. Acting is average to subpar. Lighting and editing is downright awful. I've wasted enough time here. Watch it if ya like but don't expect much.......

A promising first feature film

[Onderhond · 7/10 · 29 July 2021]

A fine Irish genre/indie film. Somewhat customary for Irish genre work, the film has a very solid dramatic foundation with slimmer genre elements layered on top. It probably wouldn't be too hard to frame this as a full-on drama simply by tinkering with the styling, instead director Randal Plunkett goes for a darker, more mysterious approach and adds minor mystery and horror touches to his first full-length feature. The result is a rather stylish affair that heralds a promising career.

The film revolves around Simone, a bitter woman who lives alone in the countryside. She drinks a lot, listens to metal and spends her time trying to write her second novel. One night, driving home wasted, she hits a young girl on the side of the road. Reluctantly, she loads her into her car and lets her spend the night. The girl won't reveal where she's from and even though Simone isn't looking for company, she can't just kick her to the curb.

The Green Sea is a film that thrives on atmosphere. The soundtrack and soundscapes in particular stand out. Not even so much the metal tracks, which are more incidental and little more than background noise, but the haunting melodies and distorted rumbles that give the film a dense mood. Coupled with a grim and desaturated color palette, a lingering camera and sharply edited segments that drive up the tension, it makes for an impressively stylized film.

Plunkett does well to keep the mystery intact while revealing just enough to give the necessary context to the plot. The performances are solid, and the finale is memorable. The Green Sea loses a tiny bit of steam in the middle part, I guess a runtime closer to 90 minutes would've fitted the film a little better, other than that I had no real complaints about this one. I'm already looking forward to seeing what Plunkett will come up with next.

Totally love it

[aarocks · 9/10 · 7 October 2021]

Such a deep story, I totally love it The acting is so good too Everything was perfect about it and Katharine's acting was perfect as usual.

A real surprise

[minstermaniac · 10/10 · 22 July 2021]

I went in with zero expectations and found this movie to be surprisingly impactful.

The actors were very well cast, and each portrays their character with quality. Katherine Isabelle plays the unpredictable, traumatised Simone with the genuine feel of lurching from one extreme to the next in search of something to take her away from her own memories. Hazel Doupe is an excellent stand offish, quiet kid, and is able to say much with visual cues, in comparison to the rants and outbursts of her co-star.

Of particular note is the character Justin, played by Dermot Ward, who seems to have a sincere desire to help. His interactions and attempts to assist Simone in opening up seem heartfelt and genuine. I'm surprised I've not seen more of this actor.

I was impressed with this movie overall. The house seemed dark and cold. The relationships between Simone and the Kid seem strained, whilst between Simone and Justin it seems awkward and frustrating. The Director definitely did well to convey the mistrust and fear of intimacy.

I would definitely recommend this movie.

Gripping

[bernardanthonyedward · 10/10 · 3 July 2021]

Gripping, well written and produced. The location, characters and atmosphere are compelling.

Loved this!

[BandSAboutMovies · 8/10 · 13 August 2021]

Simone (Katharine Isabelle, Ginger from Ginger Snaps and the titular character of American Mary) has disappeared from life. Once, she was a heavy metal singer named Sim Chaos - metal is infused in every scene of this movie, from the shirts that characters wear to the music on the soundtrack from bands like Hazel Doupe. Sacrilegia, Malthusian and Vircolac - and an author whose first book was a huge success.

Now, she lives in a house that looks like its becoming run down, with most of her life in boxes and her days revolving around how much vodka she can get her hands on. One night, she accidentally hits a teenager in a drunk driving accident. That girl, who is only called Kid for the majority of the film's running time and is played by Hazel Doupe, is actually the character in the book that Simone has been struggling to write since a massive tragedy destroyed her life.

In Simone's dreams, the Kid is chased by old men through an abandoned factory. She also has dreams of the face of a man, a hunting accident and her bloody hands. Even when she tries to go on a date with a well-meaning mechanic, hearing the rumors about her from the locals in the small Irish town that she's run away to drives her to go overboard with her drinking.

Director Randal Plunkett takes a story that could have meandered in sentimentality and delivers a supernatural take on the process of self-forgiveness. Isabelle is supercharged as the lead, as she has no concern with coming off as someone you would like to be around, yet you slowly get behind her and cheer on her personal growth.

I was completely unprepared for this movie and the emotional power that it owns. This is the kind of movie that we need more of, a gorgeous yet dark examination of life that's seen through the lens of the fantastic.

Imagination Sparker

[noeld-84806 · 10/10 · 12 January 2022]

Katherine Isabelle's depth in her character Simone kept me on the "edge of my seat" wondering what seemingly bipolar switch in scene purpose would come around the corner to scare me or calm me down. Couple Katherine's superb performance with Hazel Doupe's quietly subdued stinging silence in powerfully getting her message across to the audience this film sparked a horizon full of thoughts, fears, hopes, doubts and insight into the span oppositecapabilities of mankind and our possible choices of behavior in life.

A must see!

Surprisingly good

[kathrynbrennan · 10/10 · 6 October 2021]

I wasn't expecting this to be as good as it was. I am not a big fan of films on Prime or Netflix and so settled down to be mildly entertained. I had never seen a film by Randal P before apart from a Zombie movie on Youtube. Later I discovered this is his first feature film and that's why. I have to say I thought the cinematography in the film was exquisite. I enjoyed the pace and the characters and was gripped throughout. Would highly recommend. Well done to Randal on his 1st film and looking forward to the next one.

Worth watching

[cleeds-27588 · 9/10 · 4 February 2023]

Captures the atmosphere of the rather bleak coast of Ireland setting the scene for a thoughtful unfolding exploration of grief via a fairly common MacGuffin which is guessable early on but that doesn't distract too much (otherwise maybe a 10) - but the two leads carry it off very well with sympathy and good chemistry between them. Dramatic sequences and flashbacks are not over the top, bloody but not gory. The metaphorical motif is good and is carried through well. A very good sound track reinforces the spooky aspects, again without being over the top. All in all much better than many movies in a similar vein.