THE VAN
A film review by Scott Renshaw
Copyright 1997 Scott Renshaw
(Fox Searchlight) Starring: Colm Meany, Donal O'Kelly, Ger Ryan, Caroline Rothwell, Neili Conroy. Screenplay: Roddy Doyle, based on his book. Producer: Lynda Myles. Director: Stephen Frears. MPAA Rating: R (profanity) Running Time: 97 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.
In Stephen Frears' THE VAN, unemployed Dubliners Bimbo Reeves (Donal O'Kelly) and his pal Larry (Colm Meany) refurbish a run-down fish-and-chips van and take it on the road, moving from place to place in search of a productive place to do a little business for a short time. Appropriately enough, that's the way THE VAN wanders along as a narrative. The previous installments in author Roddy Doyle's Barrytown Trilogy -- Alan Parker's 1991 THE COMMITMENTS and Frears' own 1994 adaptation of THE SNAPPER -- each provided an anchoring element for Doyle's humorous episodes and colorful characters. Instead of THE COMMITMENTS' energetic musical numbers or THE SNAPPER's sweet father-daughter relationship, THE VAN offers under-developed nods to the embarrassment of unemployment and nationalist pride in the Irish World Cup team. After about forty-five minutes, Doyle and Frears settle into a routine of self-contained anecdotes suitable for Reader's Digest's "All in a Day's Work." One or two at a time, it's amusing to take in such "Honey, you won't believe the day I had" tales. Over the course of an hour and a half, the anecdotes grow a bit wearying.
THE VAN is certainly the least effective of the three cinematic Barrytown tales, yet it is still manages to provide some high-spirited entertainment. Most of the credit goes to Meany and O'Kelly, a pair of appealing protagonists who lend a flustered enthusiasm to most of their scenes. The humor comes as much from reaction as it does from situation in THE VAN, with Meany able to sell small moments like his very logical reaction to a customer who comes up 10 pence short for his burger (Meany takes a 10-pence bite before handing over the food). When THE VAN does pay off with a big laugh, it makes you realize that it might have been great fun to watch these same characters in a more consistent story. Instead, we have a cinematic snack truck, offering a few tasty bites rather than a truly satisfying meal.
On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 cooks au van: 5.
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