Roman Sampson
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
Sabah Hensley
This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama
Mandeep Tyson
The acting in this movie is really good.
mariakolos
This is a touching story about true friendship and an extraordinary strength of mind. The acting - so fine, realistic and shrill - makes it totally worth watching. The Carrigmore Residential Home for the Disabled. A dull and monotonous flow of Michael's existence is shaken up by the sudden appearance of a vivid and illegally charismatic rebel Rory. Michael suffers from cerebral palsy and consequently has a speech disorder. Their friendship starts from the discovery of chair-bound Rory's ability to understand Michael's speech. Rory persuades Michael to leave Carrigmore for an apartment in Dublin together with the charming nurse Siobhan. Michael steps into a new life full of freedom, unfairness and cruelty. Total Immersion. Every time Michael was trying to say something I felt like it was me, who is just not able to control own body. I was deeply impressed by Rory's rebelliousness, which is partly a way to fight the circumstances. Each his joke is a mockery of his challenging fate. However, it leaves the bitter aftertaste. You feel quite empty and apathetic at first after the story. But then it turns out you feel stronger and more self-sufficient. And you can feel everything so clearly. And you fall in love with your life. Again.
napierslogs
"Rory O'Shea Was Here" is a film about living life the way you want to not the way you have to. Although, that's not easy for Rory O'Shea (James McAvoy) who has Muscular Dystrophy, it's especially not easy for Michael (Steven Robertson) who has Cerebral Palsy. It's also not easy for a film to depict that with heartfelt meaning and no melodrama. That is assuredly accomplished here by making it a character-driven comedy.James McAvoy is probably best known for his looks and then followed by his dramatic turns in "The Last King of Scotland" (2006) and Atonement (2007), but I first met him in this character-rich comedic role. McAvoy and Robertson both portrayed their disabilities perfectly but that almost seems to be besides the point when they are able to use comedy to make us care about them.Rory's the rebel with his blonde, spiked hair and his unrelenting determination to always break the rules. Michael is the speech-impaired, lost soul who only does what the nurses at the home tell him to do—and even then, he's usually not physically able. From there it's a comedy of camaraderie when Rory can understand what Michael says and Michael has immediately found his new best friend. Good-natured trouble ensues.Together, Rory and Michael want to live independently without any rules. The film takes some dramatic turns as they discover that there are always rules—and girls. How comes girls and rules always seem to come hand-in-hand? The transitions between comedy and drama are barely even noticeable because of the chemistry that McAvoy and Robertson have and their effortless ease in making us care about Rory and Michael so deeply.
carverann
Maybe a little late in the day, but I have just watched 'Inside I am Dancing' it was on ITV 3 and I recorded it for when there was nothing else to watch. I have to say Excellent,So So Excellent! the tears are steaming down my face and I can not stop thinking about it.This is what a good film is! Not predictable like bloody aliens and horrors, same old same old! This was sad, real, funny, emotional, true to life, there was such an excellent sense of humour between Rory and Michael. All so cleverly done and well researched, by the end of the film you could almost understand Michael so very well portrayed. It was so refreshing to see such a true to life film so well made and well acted. I would say it is suited more for the girls than the guys, only because most guys do not show their emotions! I loved it even more as I was brought up in Ireland and so loved the accents and sense of humour also spotted a few places in Dublin I knew. Where can I see more films like this. Pure pure brilliance.
anita_delre
This movie transcends "story-telling" - a rare movie that, like a dream, elicits feeling and perception about a situation that does not immediately or personally apply to the dreamer - that are virtually impossible while conscious. Ever dream of confronting a tornado or trying to outrun a tsunami - a situation in which you've never found yourself? This is reason enough to see the movie.The story itself is touching, bittersweet and more ... I don't know what ending would have been more emotional - the actual or the other alternative. Little did I know that I would develop an embarrassing fan-crush on this actor a couple of years after I'd seen this movie: James McEvoy. I will have to see it again, and yes, I will buy it. What a range he has, and he was the shining star of the film (but then, so was his sidekick).Might as well buy it.
