Jason Barry Movies

In this intense, multi-layered British drama, the lives of three Irish young people living in London are painstakingly examined. The film's realistic presentation of London and all it's problems is notable. The profiled three are friends, Mickey, Mary, and Bimbo. They came to London from Dublin filled with dreams of a better life. Mary is pregnant and the child is apparently Bimbo's. The three separate and each face the grueling realities of London life. The city, though diverse, is not particularly accepting of outsiders and each character will go through similar struggles as they learn about themselves and about life. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The debut feature from writer/director David Keating, The Last of the High Kings is the coming-of-age story of Frankie Griffin (Jared Leto), a 17-year-old virgin in 1977 Dublin. Convinced he is about to flunk out of school and forlorn over the recent death of Elvis Presley, Frankie decides to throw a beach party. With his hormones raging, he finds himself trying to decide between two possible gal-pals: Jayne (Lorraine Pilkington) and Romy (Emily Mortimer). Frankie's life becomes a little more difficult with the arrival of an American family friend Erin (Christina Ricci). Gabriel Byrne, who co-wrote the screenplay with Keating, also stars as Frankie's father, Jack Griffin. Based on a novel by Ferdia Mac Anna, The Last of the High Kings won second place at the 1997 Emden International Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Coma meets Heathers in this Australian black comedy about crime, revenge, and kidney thieves. Brad (Matt Day) and Gregor (Jason Barry) are eager med students struggling to make ends meet. Thanks to government cutbacks, they are forced to share a cockroach-infested one-bedroom apartment, which they rent from their odious landlord (Reg Evans), and they're even forced to share the same bed (an inflatable sex doll in a nurse's uniform divides the mattress and reasserts their nervous heterosexuality). Their living situation is made even worse by their obnoxious neighbors; one guy who lives upstairs (Robert Carlton) engages in loud parties and noisy lovemaking at all hours of the night while another guy's car alarm constantly goes off. Unable to sleep or eat, much less study, the two are on the brink of giving up their studies. To make matters even worse, they are up to their stethoscopes in debt to gangster/western-enthusiast George Roy Rogers (Chris Haywood). Though his penchant for cheesy western memorabilia and silly hats seems a bit daft, he is deadly serious about collecting, and his two muscle-bound thugs Dale and Trigger are hell-bent on enforcing the debt. Brad and Gregor's luck changes when they learn of a noted surgeon, Marcus Browning (Rod Mullinar), who is willing to pay top dollar for organs, just before a sharply-dressed yuppie takes a flying leap and splatter-lands at their feet. Thinking quickly, Brad yanks out a kidney, crams it in an ice cream carton, and carries it over to Browning. Counting their cash, they realize that they have happened upon a neat little way of getting out of the red. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

U.K. filmmaker John Deery makes his writing and directing feature debut with the religious drama Conspiracy of Silence, dealing with the controversial topic of reforming the Catholic Church. At an Irish seminary school, student Daniel McLaughlin (Jonathan Forbes) is caught in a compromising position with fellow male student Noel (Owen McDonnell). He is subsequently kicked out of school and considers marrying his ex-girlfriend Sinead (Catherine Walker). Meanwhile, reporter David Foley (Jason Barry) investigates the suicide of HIV-positive priest Father Sweeney (Patrick Casey). Foley learns that Sweeney was romantically involved with former priest Matthew Francis (John Lynch), but Monsignor Thomas (Fintan McKeown) resorts to unjust tactics in order to cover up the story. Brenda Fricker also appears as Daniel's mother. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Celebrated sci-fi writer Neil Gaiman, who created the Sandman series, scripted this visually adventurous fantasy. Helena (Stephanie Leonidas) is a 15-year-old girl who has spent nearly her entire life on the road, traveling with her parents Joanne and Morris (Gina McKee and Rob Brydon), who make a living as circus performers. One night, Helena wishes for a quieter and more stable life, only to panic when her mother falls seriously ill, ending up in the hospital. Afraid she's caused her mother's illness, Helena slips into an alternate reality known as the Dark Lands, where nearly everything behaves differently and all is ruled by the Queen of Light and the Prime Minister (also played by McKee and Brydon). As it happens, the Queen of Shadows' daughter, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Helena, has gone missing; the Queen of Light has fallen unconscious as a result; and both queens' minders are looking for the child. As Helena struggles to make her way back to her own world to help her own mother, she discovers the Queen of Shadows' daughter has taken her place. Helena is aided in her journey by a gifted juggler named Valentine (Jason Barry), and together they seek to access a magic charm which will return everyone to the land where they belong. MirrorMask was produced by the Jim Henson Company, with most of the sets and many of the characters created using digital-effects technology. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The fine line between failure and success is as thin as the thread that separates love and tragedy, and in this tale of a self-destructive artist attempting to regain his identity after a harrowing bout with commercial success, one man finds out just how difficult it can be to built a stable future on the foundation of an uncertain past. Julian Lamont (Jason Barry) is a reclusive alcoholic who has invented a new genre of art. Inspired by his own deep-rooted self-loathing, "destructionism" allows the artist to unashamedly embrace their inner-hatred for the stranger in the mirror. Now, as Julian is compelled to take responsibility for his own actions while finally exploring the interpersonal relationships that have come to define his existence, he will finally find out what kind of artist he really wants to become. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide