This must be one of the worst movies of all time - really.The only reason I sat through it was that I am from Cork, Ireland where most of it was shot.
If there is a God, nothing to this poor standard will ever be made again.
Hmmmm, I think therefore that there is no God, because no doubt it will be "surpassed" by someone else. Probably by the people at The Boston Film Festival who inexplicably (brown envelopes?) gave this film "Best Film" at their festival.
Agreed, 'Strength and Honour' is a true piece of celluloid crap. The plot is predictable, poorly executed, the main roles are all weakly acted and the pacing is excruciatingly bad throughout.
Also being from Cork, I actually enjoyed it for all the wrong reasons: they brutalised virtually everything about Cork and its residents despite the director actually being from here himself! Being a bad movie buff I really got a kick out of it!
Madsen barely attempted an Irish accent let alone the infamous regional Cork lilt, Vinnie Jones was hilarious as the King of the Puc (about 65% of the audience in the cinema were cracking up laughing out loud every time he spoke when I saw this in the Gate Multiplex in Cork City) and Richard Chamberlain is officially the *beep* trainer in boxing/fighting movie history.
All in all, this is only worth a watch if you're Irish and can get a kick out of how the director sold out to the American perception of Ireland over the actual place and people. Sit back and enjoy Vinnie Jones give one of the worst performances ever.
Quite possibly. But I laughed so hard I would almost recommend it. The accents are TERRIBLE! The acting is woeful. But the worst thing in the film is the hilariously bad song in the middle.
Who the hell is the director?
Does he actually do this for a living?
Yeah. Worst film I've ever seen.
I'm replying to you all above, as I think that you all come from Cork, which I believe is in Ireland. Someone actually said that the movie was made there. What other movies have been made there, as it looks beautiful? I saw this movie in Malibu last week and the audience reactions here would really disagree with you all though. Everybody was gripped in their seat. 'The acting is terrible', 'acting is woeful' etc. I would love to know what makes you all experts, as I thought the performances were great. Whatever makes you all experts, I don't know, but this movie has my vote.
shareI guess the main reason they went over the Cork accent (not saying the actors could have delivered it) is, that movie goers outside of Cork understand the lines. They could have cast actors from Cork to please the locals, stead of americanizing the whole thing, true, but from an economic point of view...well, you can figure it out.
On the other hand, Michael Madsen was way too old for his role, he aint Mickey Rourke after all.
I just saw this movie last nite at a screening in Los Angeles and I have to disagree with you totally. It was great- It has a great story & and a great cast. Its a movie with a message and is meaningful.
shareI haven't seen this one yet, and I most fight films, but I'd like to try and view it because [Only because] Richard chamberlain is in it. But I think it so funny that one IMDB patron just loved this one but the rest of you guys didn't. I just wonder to my self out loud, sometimes if mabey the actors or producers who are involved with these projects anonymously review and try to get people to see them.
JPC
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"The cast and crew of this film have better things to do with their time than sit on the IMDB..."
A glance at the boards here suggests otherwise. No sane person who was not part of the production could like this terrible, terrible film as much as the various stooges bigging it up on these boards.
Mark Mahon has been talking to himself for months.
"Oh I just saw this film and it rocks"
"Yeah It's really great. I spy an Oscar nomination for Michael Madsen"
And so on.
MGM are as likely to re-release this awful turkey as they are to make a sequel to Howard the Duck.
It is actually funny Norma that you mention the various stooges bringing or bigging, which kind of sums up your level of intellect, it up on these boards. That is not saying too much about you, now is it? I think that maybe you need some of the Malibu sunshine to help you to relax!
I am interested to know where Mark Mahon said, 'Yeah It's really great. I spy an Oscar nomination for Michael Madsen', as I met him at the Malibu Film Festival and he seemed very down to earth. It think that it is also very funny that you go on about the cast and crew. I'm just kind of can't stop thinking to myself, if maybe you were fired from the production?
The first sentence is so structurally chaotic I find it very hard to discern what you are saying. Are you suggesting that my use of the word "stooge" and my use of the phrase "bigging up" identify me as stupid? I don't mind such an accusation. I'd just like to understand it.
I have never heard Mahon say those words in person, but, under the guise of various imaginary posters, he has said similar things on IMDB repeatedly.
Good heavens, what would you have to do to get fired from Strength and Honour? Deliver a serviceable performance? Manage a decent Irish accent? Certainly everybody who achieved those feats appeared to have been banished from the set.
Norma, you were doing so well in all, but after that ridiculous comment about Mahon making those claims, 'under the guise of various imaginary posters,' well, that is really very silly.
Actually, let's hope for you that he doesn't read these, as I think you could be libel.
i agree with the two guys from cork, because im from cork myself,it was made to appeal to americans, i for one just felt embarrassed
shareJese almighty, ye cork people are easily embarassed, ye talk as if we have a huge film industry. Its like England with their soccer. Bloody begrudgers. Embarassed over a film!!!, give me a break, its a bloody film.
shareYike, this movie is really bad. I'm an American, an Irish-American, and this film (if you can call it that) was very poor, and the acting is just plain awful.
shareIsn't it interesting that many of the negative posts concerning this film have come from people in Cork? Do you have any real idea how hard it is to break into the movie business? Especially when many folks in the various film boards and councils have to 'approve' things prior to filming? I'm amazed the film was made at all. Mark Mahon has constructed a film that will increase interest worldwide about Irish culture, and he did it without gratuitous violence, gore, sex, or profanity. No easy feat in this day and age.
Once I saw the film, I made sure that if I ever visited Ireland again, I would venture to Cork just to see the awesome scenery.
The fact that the accents may not have been perfect - does that change the message the film is trying to portray? We need more movies of hope, and as far as I'm concerned, I'll see Strength and Honour over all the glitzy crap that gets made. This film has heart, and I like the fact that I can take my teenage daughter to see it and not be concerned.
There's a reason why Mahon was able to get so many quality actors (including Richard Chamberlain out of retirement), because they saw that this story is about personal triumph and hope. Maybe you need to see it again.
This is hilarious. If you look back in the posts you will find supporters of this film suggesting that the negative comments suggest there is a conspiracy AGAINST Cork. Now this mysterious poster pops up to complain that the Cork contingent are behind the film's appalling reception. I smell paranoia.
Anyway, I am not from Cork and I think the film sucked. I do agree with one thing in the post above, though. I, too, "am amazed the film was made at all". Amazed, appalled, disgusted and so on.
look,fair enough if anyone enjoyed it, and if it paints a good pitcure of cork to americans(or anyone for that matter) that is only a good thing. My problen is to me it did not at all repesent a true pitcure of cork and its people even remotely and i could not help but cringe at certain points in the film. But if your not from cork ,or ireland for that matter, then maybe it can be seen a lot better becuse you just dont know anything about cork
shareThis is a B movie. And no normal American would be impressed with this movie or Cork. Unless they want to meet a bunch of traveller's fighting. Most irish films are rubbish. This is just another one. The last good irish film was The wind that Shakes the Barley. Hopefullly there will be another one soon. Up Cork
shareHey man, I find your comment very offensive... the last I heard after I saw the movie at A.F.F.M.A. in Hollywood, is it had taken about 16 or 17 wins! I believe since then, it has taken more! You don't even understand that it is not a fight movie.
Now that I read your comment again, are you saying that us Americans are stupid? If you are, then some of the top festivals from across the world must be stupid too, for what I saw of the laurels on the poster.
I hadn't realised my comment all those months ago had stirred such a reaction!
Bottom line - terrible movie. Whether it is made in Cork, or Canberra.
"Now that I read your comment again, are you saying that us Americans are stupid?"
Well any American who likes this film must be a raving idiot. But, to be fair, the picture was made by an Irishman, so he must bear responsibility for its stunning wretchedness.
I think that all you need to know about the awards is that its most prominent honour -- best actor at Boston Film Festival -- came at the same event that gave an acting award to DANE COOK!
I am not making this up.
How dare you insult any American... the only idiot appears to be you. When exactly did Dane Cook get a acting award from Boston?
share[deleted]
In 2008 -- the same year Strength and Honour got its awards -- Dane Cook was awarded the "Best Comedic Actor" award at the Boston Film Festival for the dire, dire, dire Good Luck Chuck.
http://www.nerve.com/CS/blogs/screengrab/archive/2008/04/24/independent-film-festival-of-boston-2008.aspx
I think this establishes which of us is an idiot.
Say goodnight to the folks, Gracie.
Because one film is dire, dire, dire, as you put it, how does that make another film in the same festival so bad? Cook's award was for 'best comedic actor,' not best film. I saw Strength and Honor at AFFMA in Hollywood with six hundred people in the audience and we all thought it was amazing. I also think that its strange that your only comments have been about this film. I might add, every one of them is negative. Did you get fired from it or something?
share"Because one film is dire, dire, dire, as you put it, how does that make another film in the same festival so bad?"
It doesn't. Pamela's point (which is really not THAT hard to grasp) is that giving an award to Dane Cook devalues the awards given to other films at the festival.
The gongs given to Madsen and Cook are often referred to in the trade as Turny Awards. That is to say they are handed out to anyone who turns up at the event, even if their films are as terrible as Good Luck Chuck or Strength and Honour.
Anyway, she was right and you were wrong about the facts here. So I suggest you apologise.
Are you in the trade?
shareIn the most peripheral sense.
shareOh very nice Lloyd. I note that you have edited your earlier post to delete the line where you stated -- IN OUTRAGE -- that Dane Cook did not win an award at Boston. As I recall, you also implied that I was an idiot for suggesting that he had.
Very brave. Very honest. Where did you learn this interestingly flexible approach to the truth? Pravda? Fox News?
All your posts Pamela, just happen to be about one film, Strength and honor. After reading them, I am saying that you are an IDIOT. I saw this film with an audience who loved it, and suggest that you are on a personal vendetta for some reason. Do you have any involvement in the industry?
sharePamela does seem a bit single-minded, but she's certainly on the money about how terrible this film is. I was at a screening in Dublin and everybody was literally howling with laughter throughout. Just check out some of the reviews:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/strength_and_honour/
I don't know about that as I wasn’t there. However, in Hollywood, the director did a q&a and said that he had re-cut the film himself after some U.S. testing. Some reviews will always appear after testing, which might explain why there is only handful of them there. The Rotten Tomatoes community has over 75 reviews and is at 96%, which contradicts the small number of reviews anyway. Looking at the film’s website, I believe it is after winning over twenty awards. Your idea on the 'turnys' was interesting but considering the number of wins, I think that is a bit farfetched too. Also, according to the website, it has been at some very big international festivals, so I would imagine to be selected for these is achievement in itself, let alone winning all the awards. The website is:
http://www.strengthandhonorthemovie.com/
Erm? I am aware I am beginning to sound a bit like Pamela here, but Mark Mahon says a lot of things. For example, he managed to convince a fair portion of the more gullible sections of the Irish media that he had signed Leonardo DiCaprio to play Brian Boru in his next film. It appeared in various articles, but it was total fantasy.
He and his crew infested IMDb with fake positive comments for Strength and Begorrah after release.
Recently, he has come up with this notion that the disastrous US release was only "a test release". I beg your pardon? There is no such thing. The film went on limited, commercial release and was reviewed by the New York Times (appallingly) and other major papers. The New York Times does not attend test screenings. I will say it again: it was not "tested" in the US; it was released in the US.
As for Rotten Tomatoes, the "community" refers to members of the public. That statistic is (once again) susceptible to infiltration by plants. The critics’ percentage is not and is, therefore, the more reliable.
I just did a 'google' search and read an article in the 'Independent.' It says in the article that 'Negotiations are still ongoing with Leonardo DiCaprio' and only confirmed that Vinnie Jones was involved and Michael Madsen had a cameo. At the q&a, he did actually speak about his next project and said that they had an ongoing dialogue with DiCaprio's people, but never said that he was signed. Again, I heard this from the man himself. You might be pleased to know though, as you and Pamela Flitton seem so anti-him, he did say that he was looking at filming it in New Zealand. I guess from the article, he must have changed his mind about filming it in Ireland. It hardly looks like fantasy:
http://www.freedomwithintheheart.com
To be fair, that is a silly claim to make about him and his crew infesting IMDB with fake positive comments. People clearly must like the movie, as IMDB's own votes show, all the official selections, all the awards it has won and the audience that I watched it with certainly responded to it. The movie finished at half twelve at night and hundreds of people stayed for the q&a. Are you telling me that I didn't see this with my own eyes?
In relation to your last couple of comments, you seem to know lots, which means you probably don't know very much or else you are a critic. From your previous post when you stated that you were involved in the industry 'in the most peripheral sense,' I am guessing that you and Pamela Flitton, whose defense you have came to a few times, are Irish critics. Are you saying that average people are wrong and critics are right? Face it, even if the critics of Ireland didn't like it, the audience that I saw it with here in L.A. did.
"You seem to know lots, which means you probably don't know very much or else you are a critic."
I am not quite sure what that means, but it is a nice phrase. At any rate, I am not a critic, but it is for others to say whether I don't know very much.
You are, of course, quite entitled to enjoy the thing. But why would you? Those awful accents. That shameful performance from the child: "Is mammy with the angels?" The insulting depiction of the travelling community. The song. The wretched Celtic wailing. The plot: he needs €250,000 for an operation; a tournament comes along offering him how much? Yes, €250,000.
Utterly embarassing from beginning to end. As it happens, I have yet to meet a member of the public in person who didn't find it hilariously terrible.
Oh, and there is absolutely no doubt that he and his corps have posted promiscuously on this site. He let himself down several times by blurting out details no member of the public could know.
What do your mean Freedom Within The Heart doesn't look like fantasy? Of course, it's fantasy, as is his imaginary sequel to Strength and Honour.
Those awful accents, awful to who, your ears? Are you saying that people speak differently in Ireland?
I thought that the child was great and to be fair, it is not saying much about you and your person to criticise a child.
I thought the travellers were brilliant, as I never knew they existed until I saw them in the film. How was it an insulting depiction? Have they protested about their depiction over the film?
The wretched Celtic wailing! Have you any taste, the music was truly beautiful. I also refer to your comments about the awful accents, are you ashamed of your beautiful country, it tradition and its character?
I can't speak for you but I saw hundreds of people after the film who loved it.
I suppose only time will tell about his other films, but if he made one, I sure he will be able to make another one!
Just to clarify, I meant the accents were dreadful in the sense that they were dreadfully inathentic. If people actually DID speak like that in Ireland -- and they don't -- then I would be appalled.
share[deleted]
"Not a single original idea in there."
Oh I don't know. It was quite an original idea to hire the least talented child actor in the world. I can't believe this piece of garbage is still screening at film festivals and that the director is still dreaming up new lies. Did you see the post above where he said he is planning to shoot his imaginary Brian Boru film in New Zealand? He has as much chance of shooting it on Venus.
For all of the people on this board that didn't like the movie so much, it amazes me,
a. why you still log on and write about it.
b. why you are still checking out this board to see how it is doing.
On a personal note, anybody that critises a child on any capacity, well, need I say anymore.
Your comments about that young boy, Doctor Trelawney, only confirm that you are a Doctor of Air, in other words, a complete waste of space.
Firstly, the film was so bad it became something of a minor cult in Ireland. I know people who paid money just to laugh at Madsen's abysmal accent. Secondly, all the conspicuous plants on this site (most of whom have, to be fair, now vanished) were so annoying it became hard to resist riling them.
I SUPPOSE you have a point about that kid, but I blame the director for showing up the unfortunate little tyke to the world.
As it happens, I am a doctor of the darkest arts. Cackle, cackle, cackle!
"For all of the people on this board that didn't like the movie so much, it amazes me,
a. why you still log on and write about it.
b. why you are still checking out this board to see how it is doing."
Why wouldn't we? This is a discussion board, not a blind faith board.
Bit like you on The Wrestler board hey Lloyd!
I just watched it. Now I'm from Cork and I wanted to like it but my God it was sh*t. Like every Irish person just drinks and fights.
And the accents. Shocking. The only thing worse than the accents was the acting.
Anyway, I'm off down the pub to get drunk and punch someone in the head...boss
Hud:hey, how am I gonna' survive without you?
Rob:I dont know. I'm like your main dude.
Im not a langer meself. From Waterford but sure we're close enough.
This film was definately the worse Irish movie I have ever seen and its probably not going to get any worse than this in the future.
The story was week. The acting was brutal. The only reason I watched it all (it took me two goes to get through it) was out of astonishment at how bad it was. Vinnie Jones should never be giving an acting job again, he was easily the worse "actor" in the film, but what can you expect from a shyte football player.
Hopefully the yanks dont think us Irish are really like that.
You have to be joking. How can you have a debateable opinion on something you know nothing about?
You never knew travellers existed before seeing this film and yet you think they were brilliant in this movie? If you knew about them before you would:
1- be embarressed FOR them.
2- be embarressed BY them.
Who the feck is Dane Cook? Speaking as an Irishman I think I understand why this movie is disliked in Ireland. In my opinion it does not represent Irish culture, traveller culture or Ireland in general. There are MANY fine Irish actors who could have taken the lead roles instead of Englishmen and Americans, regardless of their acting stature. I belive it was made for the American audience. I imagine Mark Mahon had a vision, and Hollywood (or whoever) squashed and twisted the vision to fit the American market.
"More water!"