[yasr_overall_rating]
“Life’s A Breeze” tells the story of a family as they search for a lost fortune around the streets of Dublin.
Dublin is my hometown. It’s where I was born and raised until I left back in 1994 to come to the States. It’s been a long time since I was back home so when I got the opportunity to screen “Life’s a Breeze”, a movie which takes place in Dublin, I jumped at the opportunity. The story centers around an elderly lady, Nan (Fionnula Flanagan) and her family. She lives in the old house she used to share with her late husband and her son Colm (Pat Shortt) lives with her too. One day, Colm asks his niece Emma (Kelly Thornton) to take Nan out for the day as he wants to do something to surprise her. When Emma inquires, he doesn’t tell her as he knows she would inform Nan but when her and Nan eventually make it home after a long day out, Nan is indeed, very surprised. Colm decided to clean house for her, so he and his siblings spent the day throwing away a lot of what they considered trash. Including her old mattress. Which just happened to contain Nan’s life savings. Which was close to a million euros.
When she informs them of this, they all laugh at her, thinking she’s joking but they quickly realize that she’s serious. Initially skeptical of her claim, she tells them that she saved everything she’s ever received, from rent on one of the bedrooms to the sale of her late husband’s tools and garage to her savings account. The movie follows the family as they check out the local dumping grounds and gradually, word leaks out about the mattress and the money contained inside of it and in no time, the whole country is looking for it. “Life’s a Breeze” is typically Irish, from the authentic accents (thank God) to the humor in everyday things. As I watched it unfold, it brought back memories and watching so many Dublin landmarks come into view, made me homesick. Irish actress Fionnula Flanagan was perfect in her role as Nan. At times, the family think she is going senile but she has the deftness and proficiency to make you think that they might be right, when deep down, you know they’re not.
Newcomer Kelly Thornton, as Nan’s granddaughter Emma, shone as the one unmitigated family member that Nan knew she could trust in and depend on. Her innocence to the world but at the same time, her determination to do right by Nan, no matter what, was a beautiful contrast. The all-embracing cast were terrific in their respective roles and director Lance Daly has created a very believable story full of authentic characters that thankfully doesn’t turn into an Irish caricatural. It was also refreshing to see an Irish movie that wasn’t so heavyleaden with the Irish cliches that incorporate so many movies of its ilk, such as alcoholism, drug use and let’s face it, Lucky Charms. “Life’s a Breeze” is a real Irish movie made in Ireland with real Irish actors using real Irish accents. Do you hear that Hollywood?
Available in theaters, on demand, and on iTunes September 19th.
