Man About Dog
Encyclopedia
Man About Dog is a 2004 Irish comedy film
starring Allen Leech
, Ciaran Nolan and Tom Murphy
. The film was distributed by Redbus Film Distribution and directed by Paddy Breathnach
.
. They have an interest in dog racing, which the narrator, Mo Chara, informs us, is very important in Ireland
. A hooky booky makes a proposition to them, to help him win a race through underhanded methods and in exchange, he'll give them a dog. After sabotaging the race as requested, they find out that the dog, 'Boots' as they call him, is useless as a racing dog. When propositioned by someone else to help sabotage the booky's attempts to win a very important race, they receive a dog, Cerberus as a reward.
They decide to test out Cerberus' ability and enter him in a race. However, instead of racing, Cerberus lies down inside the box and does not move, losing the boys some money. Outside the track after the race, the boys argue over what to do with the dog, when they are kidnapped and put in the back of a van. When they wake up, they find themselves hung up in a dog-food processing plant with the bookie and his henchman, Mooney in front of them. The bookie says that because they sabotaged the race his dog was in, which had a prize of £50,000, that they owed him that amount. He gives them a week to pay it.
The boys decide to go 'down south' to the Republic of Ireland
in order to escape their pursuers. While in the south, they see a local fair and decide to race the dog so as to win some money. The dog loses and angers Scud, who sells him to some travellers who are there, against Mo Chara's wishes. Later, it turns out that the dog is actually a great racer, which Mo Chara puts down to him only chasing real hares, not plastic ones. And the only place they use real hares is in Clonmel at the annual all-Ireland dog coursing championship. The three leave just after a fight breaks out between Scud, Paulsy and the rest of the fair and go in search of the travellers and their dog.
They manage to steal the dog and get away from the traveller camp, after a brief chase down Irish country roads, they get away from the travellers and make their way towards Clonmel. On the way, they lose the dog out the back door of the van so they turn around to catch him again, after running over a dog which they're relieved to find isn't Cerberus, they find him again.
The lads eventually get to Dublin and get some money by applying to test drugs at a clinic. That same night they find and have sex with three Polish girls, except for Scud who gets erectile disfunction when he's called to perform.
They eventually get the dog and race him in Clonmel. After the dog wins several of his races, the hooky booky again appears and once again demands what he says they owe him. As the boys are discussing what they should do the travellers appear on the scene again and hold the boys over a cliff, about to kill them. At the last minute Mo Chara offers them a deal where if the dog wins, the boys get to keep the dog, but they'll give the travellers the money they bet on the dog, plus half the prize money and if the dog loses, they'll pay the traveller's what they think he's worth, which they say is 50 grand in an unspecified currency. They can't win the money themselves because the dog is in the boys' name.
After some tense moments, the dog eventually wins and the travellers get their money and the boys get theirs. Paulsy ends up opening the first hash café in West Belfast, Scud gets a brand new shop van, Mo Chara builds a dogtrack and Cerberus is put out to stud.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
starring Allen Leech
Allen Leech
Allen Leech is an Irish stage, television and film actor, best known for his role as Marcus Agrippa in the 2007 HBO television series Rome, and his role as chauffeur Tom Branson in ITV 2010 television series Downton Abbey....
, Ciaran Nolan and Tom Murphy
Tom Murphy (actor)
Tom Jordan Murphy was an Irish theatre and film actor best known for his 1998 Tony Award winning performance in The Beauty Queen of Leenane....
. The film was distributed by Redbus Film Distribution and directed by Paddy Breathnach
Paddy Breathnach
Paddy Breathnach is an award-winning Irish film director and producer. He directed Man About Dog, Blow Dry and Shrooms. He was also involved in the production of The Mighty Celt and Ape....
.
Plot
The film's main characters are Mo Chara, Scud Murphy and Cereberal Paulsy, all from West BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. They have an interest in dog racing, which the narrator, Mo Chara, informs us, is very important in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. A hooky booky makes a proposition to them, to help him win a race through underhanded methods and in exchange, he'll give them a dog. After sabotaging the race as requested, they find out that the dog, 'Boots' as they call him, is useless as a racing dog. When propositioned by someone else to help sabotage the booky's attempts to win a very important race, they receive a dog, Cerberus as a reward.
They decide to test out Cerberus' ability and enter him in a race. However, instead of racing, Cerberus lies down inside the box and does not move, losing the boys some money. Outside the track after the race, the boys argue over what to do with the dog, when they are kidnapped and put in the back of a van. When they wake up, they find themselves hung up in a dog-food processing plant with the bookie and his henchman, Mooney in front of them. The bookie says that because they sabotaged the race his dog was in, which had a prize of £50,000, that they owed him that amount. He gives them a week to pay it.
The boys decide to go 'down south' to the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
in order to escape their pursuers. While in the south, they see a local fair and decide to race the dog so as to win some money. The dog loses and angers Scud, who sells him to some travellers who are there, against Mo Chara's wishes. Later, it turns out that the dog is actually a great racer, which Mo Chara puts down to him only chasing real hares, not plastic ones. And the only place they use real hares is in Clonmel at the annual all-Ireland dog coursing championship. The three leave just after a fight breaks out between Scud, Paulsy and the rest of the fair and go in search of the travellers and their dog.
They manage to steal the dog and get away from the traveller camp, after a brief chase down Irish country roads, they get away from the travellers and make their way towards Clonmel. On the way, they lose the dog out the back door of the van so they turn around to catch him again, after running over a dog which they're relieved to find isn't Cerberus, they find him again.
The lads eventually get to Dublin and get some money by applying to test drugs at a clinic. That same night they find and have sex with three Polish girls, except for Scud who gets erectile disfunction when he's called to perform.
They eventually get the dog and race him in Clonmel. After the dog wins several of his races, the hooky booky again appears and once again demands what he says they owe him. As the boys are discussing what they should do the travellers appear on the scene again and hold the boys over a cliff, about to kill them. At the last minute Mo Chara offers them a deal where if the dog wins, the boys get to keep the dog, but they'll give the travellers the money they bet on the dog, plus half the prize money and if the dog loses, they'll pay the traveller's what they think he's worth, which they say is 50 grand in an unspecified currency. They can't win the money themselves because the dog is in the boys' name.
After some tense moments, the dog eventually wins and the travellers get their money and the boys get theirs. Paulsy ends up opening the first hash café in West Belfast, Scud gets a brand new shop van, Mo Chara builds a dogtrack and Cerberus is put out to stud.
Cast
- Allen LeechAllen LeechAllen Leech is an Irish stage, television and film actor, best known for his role as Marcus Agrippa in the 2007 HBO television series Rome, and his role as chauffeur Tom Branson in ITV 2010 television series Downton Abbey....
as Mo Chara - Tom MurphyTom Murphy (actor)Tom Jordan Murphy was an Irish theatre and film actor best known for his 1998 Tony Award winning performance in The Beauty Queen of Leenane....
as Cerebral Paulsy - Ciaran Nolan as Scud Murphy
- Sean McGinleySeán McGinleySeán McGinley is an Irish film and television actor.-Early life:McGinley was born in Pettigo, County Donegal, Ireland where his father was a customs officer, and raised in nearby Ballyshannon...
as J.P. McCallion - 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 Fergie - Fionnula Flanagan as Olivia
- Martin RoganMartin RoganMartin Rogan , is a heavyweight boxer and former Commonwealth heavyweight title holder. -Boxing career:...
as Mooney
External links
- Man About Dog (2004) on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...