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Dancing At Lughnasa Reviews

1998

60
from 1455 members

A young boy tells the story of growing up in a fatherless home with his unmarried mother and four spinster aunts in 1930's Ireland. Their lives are interrupted by the arrival of two men - the boy's long-lost father, who is off to Spain to fight the war against Franco, and an elderly uncle who has "come home to die" after a .. Read more

Starring	Michael Gambon, Catherine McCormack, Kathy Burke, Brid Brennan
Director	Pat O'Connor
Genres	Drama

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Critic's review of Dancing At Lughnasa
View all critics' reviews (6)
- Donegal, 1936. The Mundy sisters - five of them, none married - welcome home their brother Jack, a missionary (Gambon).... read more on Time Out
- 43656
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:14
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of Dancing At Lughnasa
View all members' reviews (28)
- - 9
  - 1
  A bit too gentle for its own good
  
  This splendidly acted piece of period Irish whimsy is certainly watchable (and beautifully filmed) but rather uninvolving. Not a lot happens which is a shame ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 8272
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - CLTW
  - Kent
  - 23 Jun 2004 at 21:43
Most recent members' reviews of Dancing At Lughnasa
View all members' reviews (28)
- - 0
  - 0
  Undemanding but enjoyable
  
  Watched this a long time ago: I remember it as atmospheric and quite visual: I rented it prior to a play reading and as far as I remember it was pretty true to ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1081499
- - lazylinguist
  - 17 reviews
  - Newton Abbot
  - 13 Jan 2012 at 19:36
- - 0
  - 1
  Streep Dance - more chequebook than Chekhov
  
  Having last watched La Streep in John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt it was interesting to see the application of those looks and that voice to Eireann, with the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1038489
- - Stephen
  - North Cornelly, South Wales
  - 08 Sep 2011 at 21:36
- - 0
  - 0
  Where were all the Irish actors?!
  
  This film had a fairly good story, although it was a tad depressing at the end. It was quite gentle and lovely to look at, but what really let it down was the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 975980
- - a customer
  - Lincoln, UK
  - 24 Mar 2011 at 19:27
- - 0
  - 0
  Dodgy Accents!
  
  Always love to see Kathy Burke and Meryl Streep, but it was hard to get past the terrible accents all round! Nice in a kind of made-for-TV- harmless- enough way... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 916579
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - WomanOnTheVerge
  - 16 reviews
  - London
  - 20 Aug 2010 at 20:03
- - 0
  - 0
  Dancing at Lughnasa
  
  Enjoyable-and made you realise what life must have been like in those days-how difficult to put a meal on the table for all the family and how difficult if your... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 870271
- - a customer
  - Richmond
  - 08 Mar 2010 at 11:18
- - 0
  - 0
  entertaining
  
  A thoroughly enjoyable film, well acted and worth seeing
  
  Report this review
- 819472
- - muski
  - 51 reviews
  - Chichester
  - 09 Oct 2009 at 17:42
- - 0
  - 0
  Poignant Piece
  
  This is a worthy adaptation of Brian Friel's play. Top class acting in a drama that is both heart-warming and sometimes heart-breaking. There is a lot to ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 813178
- - a customer
  - Belfast
  - 21 Sep 2009 at 21:52
- - 1
  - 0
  dancing at lughnasa
  
  Boring , over-acted, cliche-ridden. Try reading the book instead.
  
  Report this review
- 768624
- - northsider
  - 2 reviews
  - Tunbridge Wells
  - 09 Jun 2009 at 14:40
- - 1
  - 0
  dancing at lughnasa
  
  a wonderfully uplifting and sad and happy film the direction the actors the music everything is superb i would recommend this film to anyone regardless of ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 760690
- - yourgrimya
  - 6 reviews
  - Leamington Spa
  - 21 May 2009 at 13:22
- - 1
  - 0
  A little gem
  
  Much is made of this picture being a cast led rather than a star led piece, and this is true. The five main female leads do just this, they work as a single ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 748510
- - Riversider
  - 63 reviews
  - Scotland
  - 26 Apr 2009 at 22:01
View all members' reviews (28)

- - 9
  - 1
  A bit too gentle for its own good
  
  This splendidly acted piece of period Irish whimsy is certainly watchable (and beautifully filmed) but rather uninvolving. Not a lot happens which is a shame ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 8272
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - CLTW
  - Kent
  - 23 Jun 2004 at 21:43
- - 5
  - 0
  A truly great film
  
  This is, without doubt, a truly great film. It is sad, funny, engaging... the emotions you feel when watching are ambiguous. It is a film that makes you think... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 268362
- - a customer
  - Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England
  - 26 Jul 2006 at 23:29
- - 3
  - 0
  Dancing At Lughnasa
  
  As per a previous review, not much happening here. Well done enough but without any real plot it was a tough watch. There are plenty of really fine Irish ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 17897
- - a customer
  - Cornwall
  - 12 Sep 2004 at 10:39
- - 3
  - 0
  Acting Masterclass
  
  Excellent performances all round. Gambon and Streep a joy to watch as usual. However this is a film in which nothing much happens, and the emotional scences are... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 175611
- - Ceri Jones
  - Cardiff, Wales
  - 18 Nov 2005 at 12:46
- - 2
  - 0
  Dancing at Laughnasa
  
  Very enjoyable, Streep brilliant. However, the storyline fails in any way to depict the background of social prejudices of the setting which makes it somewhat ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 110976
- - a customer
  - Wales
  - 05 Jun 2005 at 15:10
- - 2
  - 0
  Dancing at Laghnasa
  
  A very light weight film for lazy Sunday afternoons.
  
  Report this review
- 111320
- - a customer
  - Wales
  - 06 Jun 2005 at 14:45
- - 2
  - 0
  Superb score and evocation, but...
  
  From the moment this film began, I was hooked. The evocation of Ireland is superb, (if a little pastiche in the opening section) as is the cast, though I did ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 586543
- - a customer
  - Norwich
  - 22 Jun 2008 at 20:42
- - 1
  - 0
  Good drama
  
  Not having seen the play, I couldn't compare the film to it, except to realise that it would have come across powerfully onstage. The acting is super, and ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 455936
- - Cato
  - 589 reviews
  - Lydbury North
  - 05 Jul 2007 at 15:24
- - 1
  - 0
  dancing at lughnasa
  
  authentic story of pathos and pain. shows the difficulties and joyous moments of a family trapped in a time and place of no opportunities. it is heart felt ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 632420
- - a customer
  - London
  - 20 Sep 2008 at 19:58
- - 1
  - 0
  Dancing At Lughnasa
  
  A feel good movie which leaves you wanting to enjoy your roots and traditions. I love Meryl Street!
  
  Report this review
- 637516
- - AKAMsWoogie
  - 60 reviews
  - London
  - 01 Oct 2008 at 12:45

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Critics' reviews
- Donegal, 1936. The Mundy sisters - five of them, none married - welcome home their brother Jack, a missionary (Gambon).... read more on Time Out
- 43656
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:14
- "...[Streep acts] with supreme, heartbreaking economy and without a trace of showiness....A soaringly scenic film..."
- 8190
- - New York Times
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- A dull transfer of an atmospheric play about Irish identity to the screen; only the landscape holds the interest.
- 30492
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:41
- "...[McCormack] gives a supple performance that touches on the hidden eroticism of the material..."
- 8189
- - Box Office
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- "...Extraordinary....A luminous cast reveals long-buried feelings..."
- 8191
- - Rolling Stone
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
- "...[Streep is] remarkable..."
- 8192
- - Sight and Sound
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- Dancing At Lughnasa
  
  A young boy tells the story of growing up in a fatherless home with his unmarried mother and four spinster aunts in 1930's Ireland. Their lives are interrupted by the arrival of two men - the boy's long-lost father, who is off to Spain to fight the war against Franco, and an elderly uncle who has "...