RipDelight This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

hanrahanpm How can anyone in their right minds think this kind of crap is either funny or entertaining? If it was made about any other country except "cute Ireland" there would be a lawsuit to end all lawsuits. Does anyone really think people in Ireland are this thick and uncouth? Why a fine actress like Anna Friel got involved is beyond me. Yes, I'm Irish and I notice other posts from Irish people, who feel the same way. There's a reason for that. We would like our country to be portrayed as a forward thinking financially successful European nation, with a buoyant economy, a well educated and industrious work force. We are not fools, living in mud huts who never shower and spend our nights drinking ourselves into stupors, as films like this portray us. Had to get that off my chest!

cs1972 I cringed a little when I picked up the DVD of Irish Jam, it had all the hallmarks of a 'lets send Eddie Griffin to a wee old Irish village and have the leprechauns steal his lucky charms' type movie. However I was sort of pleasantly surprised after viewing it. Irish Jam is a nice story. Basically, a small Irish village is in trouble of being bought out by an aristocratic Englishman, Lord Hailstock (Kevin McNally), who wants to turn it into a theme park called Leprechaunland. The only place in the village not owned by him, and therefore the final piece in his puzzle, is the local pub. The owners of the pub can't afford to keep it and to avoid having to sell it to him decide to hold a worldwide poetry contest which will raise the necessary funds to keep the pub, and present it as a prize to the winner, keeping it out of Hailstock's hands. Meanwhile in America, Jimmy McDevitt (Griffin), a down and out amateur conman, comes across an ad for the poetry contest in a newspaper. What follows is a nice story of friendship amongst clashing cultures in which Griffin is both funny and sweet.The fact that this movie is filmed in England and not Ireland doesn't really make much difference, as the Cornwall setting could just as easily be mistaken for rural Ireland. My main, and big, gripe with this movie is its casting. More or less ALL of the Irish villagers are played by English people. Not so bad if they could all do good Irish accents, but they can't. Some sound like they have been practicing with re-runs of Ballykissangel, others like they have been forced to watch the Commitments over and over. It ends up like a mismatch of Dublin, Belfast and Kerry accents and wannabe Irish accents. How hard would it have been just to get ACTUAL Irish actors? To put it in perspective, its like having a movie set in a tiny Essex village where the 'locals' have Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Glasgow accents. Or having a movie set on a ranch in Texas where the 'locals' sound like they're from the Bronx, Chicago or even Toronto. Maybe viewers who don't know any better won't notice. But any Irish viewers, or probably anybody who's ever been to Ireland will cop on immediately.All this aside, Irish Jam will more than anything probably leave you with a good feeling in your heart and a song in your head. Albeit song you might want to jig and breakdance to all at once.

Bill Jordan Don't know where this little gem came from, or if it ever appeared in any theater, but it tops most of what comes out of Hollywood these days. It's funny, touching, and a sensory feast for the eyes and ears. If you like anything about Ireland, you'll likely enjoy this movie. All of the performances are excellent. Be warned that is does deserve its PG-13 rating, so it may not be family-friendly for all. It's unfortunate that movies like this don't have enough pull to find a profitable audience, but I suppose that's where Blockbuster and the like can have an impact. It's a bit strange that the overall user rating on IMDb is rather low, but most of the reviews are favorable. In this instance, I think the reviews tell the real story. Give this one a try and judge for yourself.

mgill061784 I was shocked by how good this movie is! It was around St. Patrick's Day and a friend and I found "Irish Jam" in Blockbuster. We figured it would be terrible, but we took a chance. Thank God.This comedy is totally original and beautifully written. The comic elements are framed by tragic circumstances: poverty and the need for self-preservation. These elements give a poignancy and depth to the comedy that sharpen the film.Irish Jam is funny before "Jimmy Tha Jam" (aka Eddie Griffin) even gets to Ireland, but the film erupts in comedy once he does; the culture-clash gives rise to hysterical situations with fantastic dialog.If you come across "Irish Jam" I suggest you watch it! I don't think the movie has been publicized enough. You'll find the movie even better if you're familiar with actual Irish culture (not just wearing green and being an overly proud that you're third generation Irish-American).