THE VAN
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1997 Ben Hoffman
THE COMMITMENTS in 1991 introduced us to the mythical (but representative) town of Barrytown in North Dublin. That was the first of a trilogy written by Roddy Doyle. You may recall that it was about an Irish soul band. This was followed three years later by THE SNAPPER, about a young woman who becomes pregnant but who will not reveal who the father is.
The Commitmentswas directed by Alan Parker. Both Snapper and THE VAN are the work of Stephen Frears.
Barrytown is a quiet town on the surface but if you look around there are many stories, funny and sad. Take Bimbo (Donal O'Kelly) for instance. In a town where there are all too many unemployed, Bimbo gets a pink slip . . . and now he is one of those without hope who hang out in bars. But Bimbo is not really one of them; he will work at anything honest if he can only find something.
Out of the blue, Bimbo realizes that with Ireland qualifying for the World Cup in football (soccer), there will be many people glued to their TV sets, unable to cook. If he can get a van and set it up as a catering truck, he can make a good bit of change and be his own boss at the same time, He also wants to share his new enterprise with his best friend, Larry (Colm Meany) whom he hires to work with him as a partner. Larry's first contribution is to name the van, BIMBO'S BURGERS.
Another buddy, Weslie (Brendan O'Carroll) finds a van on an empty lot filled with junk. The van looks "like the inside of a leper," to quote Bimbo; filthy, rusty, and an engine that will not start up. However, nothing is going to stop the two friends who have the car towed home with the aid of hundreds of the town's children joyfully pushing the vehicle as it is being towed. Bimbo and Larry work on the van until it is looking half human. Someone else gets the motor to run and away they go to the pub where everyone will be watching the games.
It would be nice to report that all went well, that they got tons of customers and that they made lots of money and lived happily ever after. Real life and movies do not work like that and so we are witness to the trials and tribulations of two friends trying to run a catering van when neither has any experience.
Not too far into the enterprise, they have a falling out and Larry wants to quit not only the partnership but their friendship as well while Bimbo decides what must be done to keep from losing the friendship of Larry.
Interspersed between the sad parts and the frustrations, there is lots of comedy provided by Larry who is a big blustering type.
Pity the poor worker who has a family to support, wants to work, but can find no job.
Others in the cast include Ger Ryan, Caroline Rothwell, Neily Conroy, Ruaidhri Conroy, and Stuart Dunne.
Directed by Stephen Frears.
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Ben Hoffman
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