Garage (film)
Encyclopedia
Garage is a 2007
Irish film directed by Lenny Abrahamson and written by Mark O'Halloran
, the same team behind Adam and Paul
. It stars Pat Shortt
, Anne-Marie Duff
and Conor J. Ryan. The film tells the story of a lonely petrol station attendant and how he slowly begins to come out of his shell.
Garage won the CICAE Art and Essai Cinema Prize at the Cannes Film Festival
and the Best Film prize at the 25th Torino Film Festival
.
) is a good-natured man with learning difficulties who lives and works at a garage
in a small rural Irish village called Rathcabbin, Co. Tipperary. The owner, called Mr Gallagher, is a former school classmate who is not interested in the garage and is only waiting for the right offer from developers so he can sell. For Josie, one day rolls into the next with nothing but his menial job and a few pints in the local pub, even though the regulars mock him and his ways. Kind-hearted Josie's only other companion is a large horse that is tethered alone in a field. When he visits, he talks to the animal and brings it an apple.
However one day his boss hires his girlfriend's 15-year-old son, David (Conor Ryan) to help Josie. Slowly Josie connects with David as they endure the slow and menial pace of the garage. One night after work, Josie innocently shares some beers with David. They sit and watch the sunset at the rear of the garage. Josie joins David and other local teenagers down by the railway tracks, bringing beer for all of them. The new social aspects to his life lift his confidence. At the local pub, he gets the courage to dance with Carmel, the local shopkeeper. But she shows her cynicism for Josie by explicitly telling him she feels no physical attraction towards him; not realising that Josie's innocuous intentions were purely friendly and innocent.
The friendship between Josie and David progresses nicely until one fateful day after work he shows David a pornographic film, which he received from a trucker who frequents the petrol station. David feels uncomfortable and leaves. Josie, sensing something is wrong, follows him outside but is unable to clarify the situation.
David returns the following week but does not stay after work. Instead he leaves with a local boy who openly mocks and despises Josie because he is different. Nevertheless Josie offers him a beer and a cheerful goodbye. The next day, the local Gardaí come to the garage and take Josie to the police station because there has been "a complaint". The boy who was with David, told David's mother that Josie had supplied her son with alcohol and shown him pornography. After an interview with a sympathetic officer, Josie explains it was just a bit of "craic" and "pure innocent". No charges are brought and he is released. But he is told to stay away from the town and especially to avoid contact with David. Josie returns to the garage. While eating dinner, he suddenly realises what has happened. Shocked he puts his head in hands all alone in his little room at the back of the garage.
The next day Mr Gallagher comes to the garage. Although not explicitly stated, Josie is told that he or the garage are finished. Unable to sleep that night, Josie get dressed and sits on the edge of his bed. He then goes down to the river at dawn and sits for a while on the bank. Josie then takes off his well-polished shoes and socks before neatly placing his garage cap on them. He then wades slowly into the water arms outstretched.
The lonely horse, which was tethered in a field, has been cut free. It stops and looks directly into the camera as the screen fades to black.
; Woodford
, County Galway
; and Rathcabbin, County Tipperary
, over a six week period in late summer 2006. Some interior scenes were also shot in Dublin. The initial cut of the film was two hours long, but this was subsequently cut to its running time of 85 minutes. The film was financed by the Irish Film Board
, Film 4, RTÉ
and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. The films premiere was in Rathcabbin
, where the garage part was filmed. Garage initially had a limited release in 11 cinemas around Ireland, with a wider release afterwards.
declared "Pat Shortt is a revelation in the central role. He brings a wonderful physicality to the character of Josie."
Screen daily also gave good reviews stating "The comic timing of the first two thirds of the film, on the part of both actor and director, is impeccable."
RTÉ said "Playing the misfit with a poignancy that bears down on you more with every scene" and gave it four stars.
, Garage has been an official selection for the London Film Festival
, the Toronto Film Festival, the Sao Paolo Film Festival, the Torino Film Festival
and the Pusan Film Festival. The film won four awards at the 2008 Irish Film and Television Awards
: Best Film, Best Film Director (Lenny Abrahamson), Best Film Script (Mark O'Halloran
) and Best Actor in a Lead Role Film for Pat Shortt
.
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
Irish film directed by Lenny Abrahamson and written by Mark O'Halloran
Mark O'Halloran
Mark O'Halloran is an Irish scriptwriter and actor. He is a native of Ennis, County Clare. He has written award-winning screenplays for the films Adam and Paul and Garage and the RTE mini-series Prosperity....
, the same team behind Adam and Paul
Adam and Paul
Adam and Paul is a 2004 Irish film centred around a day in the life of two Dublin drug addicts, Adam and Paul. Adam is the taller and slightly smarter of the two while Paul is his sidekick...
. It stars Pat Shortt
Pat Shortt
Pat Shortt is an actor, comedian and entertainer. In 2007, he starred in the film Garage, directed by Lenny Abrahamson for which he won the Best Actor award at the 2008 IFTAs...
, Anne-Marie Duff
Anne-Marie Duff
Anne-Marie Duff is an English actress best known for playing Fiona Gallagher in Shameless, and Elizabeth I in The Virgin Queen.-Early life:...
and Conor J. Ryan. The film tells the story of a lonely petrol station attendant and how he slowly begins to come out of his shell.
Garage won the CICAE Art and Essai Cinema Prize at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
and the Best Film prize at the 25th Torino Film Festival
25th Torino Film Festival
The 25th Torino Film Festival was held 23 November – 1 December 2007 in Turin, Italy and was directed by Nanni Moretti.-Films in competition:*The Art of Negative Thinking *Away from Her...
.
Plot
Josie (Pat ShorttPat Shortt
Pat Shortt is an actor, comedian and entertainer. In 2007, he starred in the film Garage, directed by Lenny Abrahamson for which he won the Best Actor award at the 2008 IFTAs...
) is a good-natured man with learning difficulties who lives and works at a garage
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
in a small rural Irish village called Rathcabbin, Co. Tipperary. The owner, called Mr Gallagher, is a former school classmate who is not interested in the garage and is only waiting for the right offer from developers so he can sell. For Josie, one day rolls into the next with nothing but his menial job and a few pints in the local pub, even though the regulars mock him and his ways. Kind-hearted Josie's only other companion is a large horse that is tethered alone in a field. When he visits, he talks to the animal and brings it an apple.
However one day his boss hires his girlfriend's 15-year-old son, David (Conor Ryan) to help Josie. Slowly Josie connects with David as they endure the slow and menial pace of the garage. One night after work, Josie innocently shares some beers with David. They sit and watch the sunset at the rear of the garage. Josie joins David and other local teenagers down by the railway tracks, bringing beer for all of them. The new social aspects to his life lift his confidence. At the local pub, he gets the courage to dance with Carmel, the local shopkeeper. But she shows her cynicism for Josie by explicitly telling him she feels no physical attraction towards him; not realising that Josie's innocuous intentions were purely friendly and innocent.
The friendship between Josie and David progresses nicely until one fateful day after work he shows David a pornographic film, which he received from a trucker who frequents the petrol station. David feels uncomfortable and leaves. Josie, sensing something is wrong, follows him outside but is unable to clarify the situation.
David returns the following week but does not stay after work. Instead he leaves with a local boy who openly mocks and despises Josie because he is different. Nevertheless Josie offers him a beer and a cheerful goodbye. The next day, the local Gardaí come to the garage and take Josie to the police station because there has been "a complaint". The boy who was with David, told David's mother that Josie had supplied her son with alcohol and shown him pornography. After an interview with a sympathetic officer, Josie explains it was just a bit of "craic" and "pure innocent". No charges are brought and he is released. But he is told to stay away from the town and especially to avoid contact with David. Josie returns to the garage. While eating dinner, he suddenly realises what has happened. Shocked he puts his head in hands all alone in his little room at the back of the garage.
The next day Mr Gallagher comes to the garage. Although not explicitly stated, Josie is told that he or the garage are finished. Unable to sleep that night, Josie get dressed and sits on the edge of his bed. He then goes down to the river at dawn and sits for a while on the bank. Josie then takes off his well-polished shoes and socks before neatly placing his garage cap on them. He then wades slowly into the water arms outstretched.
The lonely horse, which was tethered in a field, has been cut free. It stops and looks directly into the camera as the screen fades to black.
Cast
- Pat ShorttPat ShorttPat Shortt is an actor, comedian and entertainer. In 2007, he starred in the film Garage, directed by Lenny Abrahamson for which he won the Best Actor award at the 2008 IFTAs...
as Josie - Anne Marie Duff as Carmel
- Conor Ryan as David
- Tommy Fitzgerald as Declan
Production
The film was shot on location in Cloghan, County OffalyCounty Offaly
County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...
; Woodford
Woodford, County Galway
Woodford is a village in County Galway, Ireland. The small hamlet has an industrial history. The town's Irish Name, 'Graig na Muilte Iarainn' means 'The Village of the Iron Mills.' Woodford is in the Southeast of County Galway it is situated between the Shannon River and the Slieve Aughty...
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
; and Rathcabbin, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, over a six week period in late summer 2006. Some interior scenes were also shot in Dublin. The initial cut of the film was two hours long, but this was subsequently cut to its running time of 85 minutes. The film was financed by the Irish Film Board
Irish Film Board
The Irish Film Board is Ireland’s national film agency and major film funding body. It was recommended for abolition by the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes in 2009.-Formative years:...
, Film 4, RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. The films premiere was in Rathcabbin
Rathcabbin
Rathcabbin is a small village situated at the north tip of County Tipperary in Ireland. The village is located off the R489 regional road between Portumna, County Galway and Birr, County Offaly...
, where the garage part was filmed. Garage initially had a limited release in 11 cinemas around Ireland, with a wider release afterwards.
Reception
Garage received generally positive reviews, based on its showing at Cannes. The Irish TimesThe Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
declared "Pat Shortt is a revelation in the central role. He brings a wonderful physicality to the character of Josie."
Screen daily also gave good reviews stating "The comic timing of the first two thirds of the film, on the part of both actor and director, is impeccable."
RTÉ said "Playing the misfit with a poignancy that bears down on you more with every scene" and gave it four stars.
Awards
As well as winning the CICAE Art and Essai Cinema Prize at the Cannes Film FestivalCannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, Garage has been an official selection for the London Film Festival
London Film Festival
The BFI London Film Festival is the UK's largest public film event, screening more than 300 features, documentaries and shorts from almost 50 countries. The festival, , currently in its 54th year, is run every year in the second half of October under the umbrella of the British Film Institute...
, the Toronto Film Festival, the Sao Paolo Film Festival, the Torino Film Festival
25th Torino Film Festival
The 25th Torino Film Festival was held 23 November – 1 December 2007 in Turin, Italy and was directed by Nanni Moretti.-Films in competition:*The Art of Negative Thinking *Away from Her...
and the Pusan Film Festival. The film won four awards at the 2008 Irish Film and Television Awards
Irish Film and Television Awards
The Irish Film and Television Awards were first awarded in 2003. Its sole aim is to celebrate Ireland's notably talented film and television community...
: Best Film, Best Film Director (Lenny Abrahamson), Best Film Script (Mark O'Halloran
Mark O'Halloran
Mark O'Halloran is an Irish scriptwriter and actor. He is a native of Ennis, County Clare. He has written award-winning screenplays for the films Adam and Paul and Garage and the RTE mini-series Prosperity....
) and Best Actor in a Lead Role Film for Pat Shortt
Pat Shortt
Pat Shortt is an actor, comedian and entertainer. In 2007, he starred in the film Garage, directed by Lenny Abrahamson for which he won the Best Actor award at the 2008 IFTAs...
.
External links
- Garage official site
- Garage at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival2007 Toronto International Film FestivalThe 2007 Toronto International Film Festival was a 32nd annual film festival held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It ran from September 6, 2007 to September 15, 2007. The lineup consisted of 349 films from 55 countries, selected from 4156 submissions...
- Garage at Pearl and Dean
- Garage review on Orange Film