In the same spare style as their first award-winning film, Adam & Paul, director Lenny Abrahamson and writer Mark O’Halloran bring us Garage, a startling and hypnotic tragi-comedy from the margins of contemporary Irish life. Regarded by his neighbours as a harmless misfit, eliciting idle kindness, benign tolerance and occasional abuse, Josie has spent all his adult life as the caretaker of a crumbling petrol station on the outskirts of a small town in the mid-west of Ireland. He is limited, lonely, yet relentlessly optimistic and, in his own peculiar way, happy. But then over the course of a summer, Josie’s world shifts. A teenager, David, comes to work with him. David likes him. They open up to each other and suddenly the lonely adult is drinking cans down at the railway tracks with the local kids. He is awakened to needs in himself that have never been met. And Carmel, from the local shop, who has always been kind to him, stirs feelings within him that he struggles to name. And then one thoughtless moment unravels the threads of faltering friendship. Events spiral, and Josie’s life is changed, forever.
Film Crew
- : Lenny Abrahamson
- : Mark O'Halloran
- : Peter Robertson
- : Robert Flanagan
- : Sonya Lennon
- : Micheal Moynihan
- : Isobel Stephenson
- : Element Pictures
Technical Information
- Color
- English
Keywords
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Videos
Trailer
An over-diligent employee of a crumbling garage on the outskirts of a rural Irish village searches for intimacy during the course of a life-changing summer.-
"Garage is superbly paced and controlled, and Abrahamson creates something visually stunning with landscapes that, like the English fenland, are beautiful yet daunting. As I say, I wondered if there might not have been other fates he could have dreamt up for Josie: but this is a gem of a film nonetheless, and Shortt's performance is outstanding."
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian -
"As a study in loneliness, this is magnificent, sparely directed by Abrahamson and beautifully played by Shortt, whose roly-poly walk and innocent gaze could break your heart, if they haven't already melted it. It should be considered one of the great performances of the year."
Anthony Quinn, The Independent -
"The beauty of this lovely, sad little film is the wealth of detail in every scene - nuances in Pat Shortt's physically eloquent performance as Josie; expressive subtleties in Mark O'Halloran's rich dialogue."
Wendy Ide, The Times -
"Olivier Père, Artistic Director of Directors Fortnight ( Cannes) said: “Garage is such a wonderful movie. It is beautifully made and very moving with an amazing performance from Pat Shortt who will be the great discovery of the international audience at the Fortnight this year."
The Irish Film Board
A truly great film that earns Ireland a place of prestige in world cinema.
ABSOLUTELY GREAT FILM. SIMPLE AND YET COMPLICATED AT THE SAME TIME. ITS EAY TO SEE WHY AWARDS WERE WON AT CANNES.