A low-key yet moving drama from Ireland, writer-director Gerard Barrett's Glassland serves up an unusual story of selfless if also desperate love. Jack Reynor stars as John, a young taxi driver barely making ends meet while living in public housing. John is also trying to manage a losing battle with his live-in mother, Jean (Toni Collette), over her chronic drinking. Drifting through the odd moment with best friend Shane (Will Poulter), John mostly maintains an ascetic existence of cleaning house and getting through his days. When we finally meet Jean, we understand why John's youth is disintegrating through repressed emotions and boredom: she suffers from a raging addiction and is dying from liver disease. Part of the cycle of their relationship is that John periodically purges their home of booze, but he knows she will find her way to another bottle tomorrow. Despite everything, John has an almost saintly disposition, visiting his younger brother (Harry Nagle)—who has Down syndrome and is the reason Jean's husband abandoned the family, leading to her self-destructiveness—and arranging for Shane to visit the young son he rarely gets to see. Offered a chance to place his mother into expensive rehabilitation (her last shot at survival), John agrees to take on shady tasks for his boss in exchange for cash. Towards the end, Glassland goes off the rails a bit, but is a memorable acting showcase for Reynor and Collette, the latter never in better form. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include an interview with director Gerard Barrett (11 min.), the bonus 2014 short film “Aïssa” by Clément Tréhin-Lalanne (8 min.), an interview with costars Jack Reynor and Will Poulter (7 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a fine character drama.] (T. Keogh)
Glassland
Film Movement, 93 min., not rated, DVD: $24.95, May 3 Volume 31, Issue 4
Glassland
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