Jeff O'Toole Movies

In the suburbs of Dublin, more than a dozen strangers find their paths colliding in sometimes violent, sometimes absurd ways in Intermission, the first feature from director John Crowley. Setting the chain of events in motion is Lehiff (Colin Farrell), a small-time crook whose most recent petty theft has him on the run from Jerry (Colm Meaney), a self-aggrandizing police detective who's even more full of himself now that he's being constantly trailed by a TV news documentary crew. Meanwhile, Lehiff's friend John (Cillian Murphy) is going though a trial breakup -- or "intermission," as he calls it -- with his girlfriend, Deirdre (Kelly Macdonald), who has promptly taken up with the older, more conventionally responsible bank manager Sam (Michael McElhatton). When Lehiff suggests that the answer to all of his and John's troubles is to set up Sam and rob his vaults, John's too eager to comply -- and their plan spells dire consequences for everyone in their immediate circle of relations. Also starring David Wilmot, Brian F. O'Byrne, and Shirley Henderson, Intermission had its premiere at the Galway Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, and secured berths at the Edinburgh, Telluride, and Toronto festivals. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide

In this contemporary drama, a young man who believes that he is descended from ancient warriors finds it hard to live up to their ideals in the modern world. Neal (Darren Healy) is a member of an Irish "pony club," a street gang that rides horses bareback through the streets of Dublin, looking for adventure (and trouble, should it cross their path). After the latest of a series of stays behind bars, Neal finds his way back North with several goals in mind. He wants to see the child he fathered, who was born while he was in stir. He wants to visit his father, who has a severe drinking problem, and his mother, who became a lesbian after breaking up with his dad. He hopes to pay his respects at the grave of the horse he once loved. And he's also keen on getting revenge against the drug dealer whose testimony put him behind bars, as well as the police who confiscated his club's horses. Crush Proof was shown at the 1998 Venice Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide