MovieChat Forums > Small Engine Repair (2007) Discussion > One of the best I have seen...

One of the best I have seen...

posted 16 years ago by ozzjim
1 reply | jump to latest

This one has to be. It shows small-town life in Ireland in all its tranquil beauty, friendship, enemity, indecision, hate, love, betrayal, ambition - all brought together in a tale that speaks of one man's hesitant yearning to become a country singer.
The first thing that will strike you about this movie is the sensitive touch to everything; the only comparison I can give in this regard is probably 'A Straight Story' (but even that wasn't perfect, according to me, because I thought it got quite preachy at times). And though the movie moves on easily, in a way that seems to say that all is fine with the world - there is the underlying sorrow in everything. This movie is dark in all its lightness, a feeling that's almost indescribable.
And though all seems to turn out okay in the end, you know it's not. Because the skeletons in everybody's closet have tumbled out, changing the very colour of everything. And life goes on, yeah ... but it needn't go on the way the way it was.
And the music; you can't ignore the music. If you are a country music fan, this you gotta pick up from the DVD shop as soon as you can.
I really think 'Small Engine Repairs' deserved more attention than it got. Because movies like this don't come along everyday.

[–] salmo365 16 years ago

i loved it.

Every character had depth, the story drew you in, you fell in love with the place. I'm no country fan but I was surprised how good the music was and can remember a couple of the songs now.

And for some strange reason, I think I liked the guy who had gone to prison the most. Well liked is the wrong word. But it was his character was the one I enjoyed the most. He was an excellent counter blance to the softness of the others.