User reviews

An Irish gangster crime comedy. Well, Irish, gangster and crime are all accurate but whether it's a comedy, drama or thriller that's up to you to decide. Perrier (Brendan Gleeson) has a bounty for the head of Michael (Cillian Murphy). Poor lad, he owes money to some local thugs.

With the help of his beautiful, slightly crazy and suicidal neighbour Brenda (Jodie Whittaker), they accidentally kill a thug, and then with the encouragement of his might-be-dying father (Jim Broadbent), they go on a crime spree.

It's a comedy of errors where the errors lead to many murders, some accidental but some because there's nothing better to do. It's violent for the sake of being violent with a few uneasy laughs. Add Gabriel Byrne as the voice of the narrator/The Reaper expounding on the philosophical virtues of life, death and the ocean, just to make the film more well-rounded. I'm assuming that's the purpose, and also that the contradiction between philosophy and gangster crime is supposed to be hilarious.

"Perrier's Bounty" could be a brilliant fusion of all genres into a gangster crime film. But it's missing some vital cohesiveness and substance to make this more than a weirdly funny, violent crime spree through an Irish night. Which isn't all that bad, but it's no "In Bruges".

For this particular genre of movies, then "Perrier's Bounty" failed to make a lasting impression, nor did it leave any significant impact. The story never really made it out of the parking lot, so to speak. The story, despite trying hard, never turned out to be more than mediocre.

The movie does have an impressive list of actors and actresses on the cast list, but despite this fact, that wasn't enough to pull off the story in a manner that would turn out to be outstanding.

The story is about Michael McCrea who owes money to Perrier. Michael is given a short amount of time to make payment due, otherwise Perrier's goons will set out to collect the debt one way or another. A frantic night turns worse when Michael ends up on the run with his suicidal neighbor and his dying father.

Storywise, then there were moments throughout the movie that were great and there were some good ideas to the script as well. However, the overall impression of the movie was fairly mediocre, and there is sort of an irrelevant vibe to the movie, which was a shame.

"Perrier's Bounty" is great for a single watching, but the movie is nowhere near anything that would support multiple viewings of the movie. The storyline just doesn't have what it takes.

Apart from a very strong cast, this also has some very fine moments throughout. Like a french phrase that gets repeated. Offbeat things like that make this movie stand out from some other movies who try hard to be distinguishable. But in the end, there are quite a few things, that don't quite work in it's favor.

While the story as it is, is told pretty fast (so that you can't think too much about some logical errors/plot holes I guess), sometimes you'd want some time for the characters to breathe. Especially the things the female lead goes through in a short amount of time, are very improbable, not to mention her emotional journey, which is just a bit too rushed. Still lovable, but with an ending, that though planted, feels a bit off in a wrong way.

Rented this on a recommendation from the video store owner, who like myself, is into just about every genre. We certainly don't shy away from foreign films, and this gangster/father-son story looked to be right up my alley.

Like I mentioned in the title - there is quite a bit of humor here that can be hard to pick up because of its' dry nature, and because of the thick accents. It can really make the difference between this being a completely average film, and this being a truly enjoyable, albeit lesser-known, humorous, and darkly adventurous tale.

The cast is strong and the story moves at a brisk pace. It's in the storyline vein of Tarantino or Ritchie, but lacks a bit of the panache of those directors' work.

Perrier's Bounty has good performances throughout, and there is little doubt that those fans of the afore mentioned directors will find this to be an exciting film. It's rated R for brief nudity, drug use, and violence.

The only stand-out negative would be the music. The music selections were great, but the volume of the music was WAY too loud compared to the dialog and the rest of the movie. Maybe the music director was a bit too proud of his/her selections. I had to turn the TV down every time a song came on, and then turn it back up when the dialog resumed. The only other negative would be a slightly rushed and under-developed love story that could have really put this over-the-top.

Recommended. THose who liked pulp fiction and lock stock will find this to be a good(not great) film along the same lines. LIsten carefully as many of the hilarious lines can pass you by. The strongest characteristic of this film is the relationship between Cillian Murphy and the actor(who's name escapes me as I'm writing this) who plays Cillian's father. Also, having two fantastic actors playing in the two lead Gangster roles helps immensely.

71/100

You'll like it if you liked: Layer Cake, State of Grace, or Harry Brown.

PERRIER'S BOUNTY is YET another clichéd gangster movie in which everyone is ripping each other off and there are no nice characters in sight. RED EYE's Cillian Murphy plays a low-rent scumbag who owes money to a local gangster, played with familiar relish by Brendan Gleeson. Cue loads of chases, manic situations, pursuing hit men and even a little romance with shoehorned-in love interest Jodie Whittaker.

This could be just another London-set gangster drama in the same vein as many a Guy Ritchie movie, but the fact that it's Irish sets it apart a little from the crowd - but only a little. For the most part, it's highly predictable, and although the story is fairly fast-moving and interesting, unfortunately the script is a letdown. It really falls apart when it comes to the father/son bonding scenes with an out-of-place Jim Broadbent; these are indescribably boring and seem to go on forever.

However, fans of fantasy TV show GAME OF THRONES will be well served by the supporting cast; no less than four familiar faces from the programme appear here. There are minor parts for Francis Magee (Yoren) and Conleth Hill (Varys), and bigger, decent roles for Michael McElhatton (Roose Bolton) and Liam Cunningham (Ser Davos Seaworth). At least their presence was enough to keep me entertained for the majority of the running time...

Perrier's Bounty is a gangster flick packed full of fantastic actors like Jim Broadbent . Brendan Gleeson and Cillian Murphy so why has nobody heard of it? I'm not totally sure why this passed everyone by when it was released in May because it's a pretty decent film. It has plenty of action , it full of humour and Broadbent and Gleeson are on top of their game. The only criticism i can really give it is that the story is uninspiring. It's as if the director got the best actors around yet forgot about the plot. It can be compared to the likes of Lock, Stock and two smoking Barrels but without the cutting edge. Despite this I'm sure most people will enjoy it , that's if anybody can get hold of it!

I thought it was an outstanding little film; not a loose end left, lots of karma.

The acting was unbelievably good, with Jim Broadbent, Cillian Murphy, Jodie Whitaker and Brendan Gleeson, joined by a throng of wonderful cutthroats, henchmen and great dog trainers.

I cannot fathom why people wouldn't like the movie, its very intriguing use of language and its well drawn characters. The voice over by the Reaper was also well done, and had a highly literary feel.

It had enough texture to give a feel for the impoverished underlife of Dubliners.

Disappointed in this film. Was expecting a classical as it has a tremendous cast of actors. The writer and director are top shelve too. Sadly, all these ingredients have not created a good movie.

The word 'MAN' becomes very annoying through the film. It's used as much as the word 'The'. Dublin working class people use this word, but not like it is portrayed in the script.

In saying that it's better than many irish films.

An aptly-described "urban western" that fans Crank and Lock Stock should not miss.

In addition to fully working as a perilous crime thriller, the film's script is filled with comedy, and the performances bring that out incredibly well. The magnetic Cillian Murphy is a quick hook into the world of the film, but Jim Broadbent is the story's heart, and the eccentric but completely relatable character he paints is a treat to watch. Brendan Gleeson as the titular Perrier is, of course, great.

In short, the film is prime entertainment, whose believable setting acts as a portal into something very unique. Definitely recommended.

Perrier's Bounty is a quirky dark Irish crime comedy but it is also a misfire as you get a feeling of having seen it all before. It wants to be In Bruges, it even has Brendan Gleeson in it but is nowhere as good.

Cillian Murphy plays a young waster Michael McCrea who is in debt of 1000 Euros to loan shark Perrier (Brendan Gleeson.) Michael's dying dad (Jim Broadbent) turns up to make his life awkward and his dizzy, suicidal in the neighbouring flat (Jodie Whittaker) accidentally kills one of Perrier's debt collectors.

Now they all find themselves on the run from Perrier but maybe some other goons with vicious dogs might inadvertently come to Michael's rescue.

Despite the wacky set up the characters are rather two dimensional even with the added eccentricities they are given.

This film is about a man who owes gangster money. He causes the death of a debt collector, therefore the gangsters issue a bounty on him.

"Perrier's Bounty" may sound like a good idea, but it is poorly executed. The characters are cardboard cut-outs that have no chemistry with each other. I frankly do not care about any of the characters at all, so watching them run around for 80 minutes is not so much fun.

The plot is plainly told in a mundane way. Imagine the dullest speaker telling a story with a hypnotic voice, that's how "Perrier's Bounty" tells a story. There are desperate attempts at humour, but they fall completely flat. The frequent use of 'man' is so unnecessary and is so irritating. The filmmakers try to make the film artistic and atmospheric. I admit the cinematography and scene composition is often good, but that does not enhance the enjoyment factor of a crime thriller. "Perrier's Bounty" is so dull and irritating, please do not watch it.

If you enjoyed Snatch or In Bruges, then you will find this trip just as satisfying.

Michael (Cillian Murphy) owes a small debt to Perrier (Brendan Gleeson), a Dublin crime lord. After Perrier's enforcers come calling, and things go awry, Michael, his father (Jim Broadbent), and his downstairs neighbor, Brenda (Jodie Whittaker), go on the lam.

In the process of saving their lives they mix with the local police, Brenda's ex, a coke dealer, some teenage car thieves, a farm woman with an active imagination and a group of mean-dog fanciers.

Lots of bodies fall by the wayside, and the hoodlums get their just desserts in the most imaginative way.

" Perrier's Bounty", charming little caper had more potential then result. Dark, off-beat comedy or thriller ( depends on the outlook), has a lot of promise, but , unfortunately, delivers way less than expected. Grant it, it has an interesting idea, quirky direction, exceptional cast filled with marvelous British actors. But... the movie is little too self-involved and quite a lot in love with itself. In effort to be original and unique, it just went too far. We have viscous dogs and gay gangsters and love interest and the estranged parents, and much more of the same, perhaps original, but nevertheless messy and illogical details. It distracted itself from the main purpose, to tell a story.

This is not a movie to be taken too seriously, but if you are looking a good, lighthearted mix of drama, action and ironic comedy, this is a fantastic choice.

I've not researched all of those who were involved in each movie, but the feel is very similar to In Bruges with Colin Farrell (which I highly recommend - especially if you've ever been to Bruges), maybe because the great Brendan Gleeson is in both...

The settings, from the bar, to the bad guys' headquarters are great and, in addition to Brendan, the cast does a great job with what they are given. I had not seen much of Jodie Whittaker's work before this, but I will be looking forward to more from here for sure.

I did read another review that mentioned the fact that some of the characters were not fully developed and, while it may have been a constraint of budget, having more background on Jodie's character would have made you despise her boyfriend more and cheer for her and the protagonist in this case.

Nevertheless - nine stars.

Perrier's Bounty tries hard to be as pithy and wittily profound as In Bruges, but doesn't quite manage the task. To be fair, Bruges is a masterpiece and a Goliath of a script to aspire too, but this one has its own brand of scrappy crime fun, full of enough beans to keep the viewer jumping for its slight running time. Few films can boast narration provided by the Grim Reaper, and fewer still can say that said Reaper is voiced by Gabriel Byrne. But indeed, Byrne beckons us into this violent fable with his patented tone, both baleful and quaint. The fable in question concerns Michael McCrea (Cillian Murphy) an irresponsible young Irish lad who is seriously bereft of both luck and common sense. He lives in a small town in northern Ireland and owes a hefty loan to local crime lord Darren Perrier (Brendan Gleeson). Because of how tiny the town is, it's pretty easy for Perrier's goons to find and engage him in a road runner goose chase all about the area, forcing him to scoop up his on and off girlfriend (Jodie Whittaker), and head for the hills. He's also joined by his uber eccentric father (Jim Broadbent) who believes that the Grim Reaper has visited him at night and given him the alarming prognosis that he will die the next time he falls asleep. Broadbent is a solid gold asset to any film he's in, and practically spews perfectly timed comic banter non stop. Michael thinks he has a way out of trouble with local petty thief The Mutt (Liam Cunningham, aka Ser Davos Seaworth, also a comedic treasure here), which turns out to be another notch in the belt of bad judgment. Meanwhile, Perrier's crew reels after one of their slain thugs (at Michael's hand) turns out to have been involved in a love affair with another, who now has the wrath of vengeance in his eyes. There's a scene where Gleeson comforts the bereaved hoodlum and seems deeply wounded at the couple's reluctance to tell him of their love. Gleeson assures them he has no issue with homosexuality and wishes they would have shared with him. In the context of hardened criminals out for blood, this kind of exchange is priceless and brings rigid archetypes right down to earth, for maximum hilarity and well earned pathos. The film meanders a bit, but never out ran my attention span, following through with it's story in ways both welcomingly bloody and predictably quirky. It doesn't add up to anything life altering when all is said and done, but damn if the things which are said and are done along the way aren't just pure genre entertainment, inducing chuckles, thrills and nostalgia for other films withing the niche. In the troupe of writers who look up to Guy Ritchie, Quentin Tarantino and Martin McDonough, this scribe is on to something. Keep an eye out for Lord Varys, Roose Bolton and a young Domhall Gleeson too.

Once again a much hyped up Irish movie with an excellent cast is wasted by a disjointed shabby storyline which goes nowhere. It's one of those that you want to be good but only keeps your interest by some good acting by the leading men, especially Gleeson who was badly under used but was brilliant. Jim Broadbent with an Irish accent... I don't think so & why the hell is everyone in the movie using the word MAN at the end of every sentence. I have lived in Dublin a long time & that word in that context can only be associated with junkies. Yet it's an everyday word used by the majority of people in this movie (I was expecting the dogs to bark out the words MAN!). Plot holes too were everywhere, especially regarding the police... where were they? One of their cars is stolen & the thieves are able to drive around at their leisure... what about the two helicopters they have? Shootouts everywhere & no police. The overall storyline went round in circles & when it was over it was a relief & a huge disappointment! Come on MAN... Make better movies MAN!

Totally Hillarious Murphy, the Gleesons and Broadbent especially were just frickin comical. Couldn't stop laughing!

Darren Perrier (Brendan Gleeson) is a vicious local gangster. Michael McCrea (Cillian Murphy) owes him $1k and two thugs are hounding him for it. Brenda (Jodie Whittaker) is Michael's neighbor. His father Jim (Jim Broadbent) tells him that he's dying of cancer. He asks The Mull (Liam Cunningham) for a loan. They don't have any money but they have a burglary target. They are going for a big payday with blackmail but he's not getting paid yet. When the two thugs catches Michael, a heart-broken Brenda shoots one. Michael and Brenda go on the run with his father Jim.

This is a brit film from director Ian Fitzgibbon. It looks like he's trying to make yet another quirky gangster movie from the island reminiscent of the Guy Ritchie style. This doesn't have quite the same stuff. There are big actors, and wacky criminals. However it's just not wacky enough to be funny. It's not gritty enough to be compelling. Most of all, it doesn't have the energy to break through. It is good to see the great actors involved but it's not much more than that.

My decision to watch this stemmed from the star power of Cillian Murphy, if not then I would have approached English/Irish crime thrillers with a little apprehension as most somehow come across as Guy Ritchie wannabes, or follow a dark and gritty formula that gets quite tired after a while. London Boulevard was a little underwhelming with a sprawling narrative that got nowhere, and in some ways Perrier's Bounty didn't quite leave a favourable impression.

Granted the film boasts great character actors, from Murphy as the down and out protagonist Michael McCrea, Jim Broadbent as his dad Jim, and Jodie Whittaker as the hot next door neighbour Brenda who all get embroiled in Michael's affairs with the titular gangster Darren Perrier (Brendan Gleeson, whom is probably known to worldwide audiences better for his role as Mad-Eye Moody in the Harry Potter franchise), when they inevitably knock off two of the latter's foot soldiers when they come knocking violently to get back money owed, and a bounty is declared on Michael and the group which runs its course in an overnight tale of hunter versus prey.

The better parts of the film come from the incredibly chemistry that Murphy and Broadbent share as son and father, especially when they got introduced in the film not really speaking or on good terms, but for the inevitable improvement when Jim's death sentence by way of a medical condition gets made known, and the wicked modus operandi of Perrier coming into play. The complimentary romance subplot was credible between Michael and Brenda, but you just know it had to give way to more pressing survival issues on hand, especially when Perrier demonstrates why he is not to be trifled with. That of course gives way to plenty of scenes with graphic violence, which to a modern audience is something already quite numbing if the intention is to shock.

Still, director Ian Fitzgibbon keeps Mark O'Rowe's story moving at incredible pace, set against an eclectic soundtrack, but alas it is the pace that doesn't allow for the film to breathe and give a little bit more dimension to the characters, especially the villains who come across as pretty one dimensional goons out for blood and constantly cursing through their limited vocabulary. It's touted to be a comedy, but unless you have a ear for thick Irish accents, then most of the verbal jibes would probably have gone unheard, which is a pity since I would have loved it if it was subtitled to assist non native English speakers.

Perrier's Bounty lacked a certain X-factor to its rather bland storyline, which had the actors to thank for making it a lot more enjoyable if not for their presence, since you're likely to be able to stay ahead of plot developments, which spell mediocre and average.