Small Engine Repair cover art

Small Engine Repair Details

2006 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 235 members

Set around a small fraternity of blue collar Irish forestry workers, Small Engine Repair is the story of a group of men going nowhere. Doug (Iain Glen) thinks he's a country singer, but he's too old and lacks any motivation or self belief. He carries around a demo he won't let anyone hear while daydreaming of being heard on .. Read more

Starring Iain Glen, Steven Mackintosh, Stuart Graham, Laurence Kinlan
Director Niall Heery
Genres Drama

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Small Engine Repair cover art

Small Engine Repair

Set around a small fraternity of blue collar Irish forestry workers, Small Engine Repair is the story of a group of men going nowhere. Doug (Iain Glen) thinks he's a country singer, but he's too old and lacks any motivation or self belief. He carries around a demo he won't let anyone hear while daydreaming of being heard on the local radio station or playing his mate's bar. His best friend is a worn out mechanic (Steven Mackintosh), a hapless loser desperate to persuade his son (Laurence Kinlan) not to leave the family business, the small engine repair shop of the title. With their personal ties disintegrating all around them, Doug suddenly finds himself staring one last chance in the eye and the chance to prove local doubters he has some worth.

Starring Iain Glen, Steven Mackintosh, Stuart Graham, Laurence Kinlan, Tom Murphy, Kathy Kiera Clarke, Gary Lydon
Director Niall Heery
Studio GUERILLA FILMS
Run time DVD: 1 hr 38 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 07 Jul 2008
Production year: 2006
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews of Small Engine Repair

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  • Irish-set study of frustration and ennui among middle-aged... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008

  • Most helpful member's review of Small Engine Repair

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  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    A small film beautifully done

    There are not many women in this film: it's a rather melancholy tale of male relationships under strain, of friendship, cheating and broken dreams. Set in an Irish backwater with some stunning wooded scenery the film boasts an intelligent script and two fine central performances. Steven Mackintosh is superb as the luckless loser hanging onto his fantasies, and running the modest engine shop of the title. His unemployed mate Doug, played by Iain Glen, dreams of a career as a country singer - and a cheating wife finally gives him the courage to have a go. It's a really endearing performance from Glen and there is some fine male bonding around him.

    It's a small film but beautifully done. There' s sadness and pain, melancholy and hope, and the coming of age theme works well. The songs are quite powerful, expressing Doug's pain and humour and encapsulating a touching tale. This is Niall Heery's debut as director and you feel there's a lot more to come.

      • antoine from Oxford
      • Posted 08 Oct 2008 10:20

  • Most recent members' review of Small Engine Repair

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  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    Irish Country

    Any drama involving middle-aged regret for lost opportunities and country & western songs is bound to be a little bleak and so this is but a good script and performances make this worth watching. With the scenery, music and costumes this could almost be an independent American film but the accents and the fact that it was filmed in Northern Ireland give it away. And it's bitter-sweet to see the great Tom Murphy ('Adam & Paul') in what I take to be his last screen role. Give it a go.

      • Stiofan from Oxford
      • Posted 27 Jul 2008 20:37

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Rating breakdown

235 Member ratings
  • 100
9
  • 90
6
  • 80
44
  • 70
47
  • 60
62
  • 50
24
  • 40
10
  • 30
14
  • 20
12
  • 10
7

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      • Set around a small fraternity of blue collar Irish forestry workers, Small Engine Repair is the story of a group of men going nowhere. Doug (Iain Glen) thinks he's a country singer, but he's too old ...