Intermission

REVIEW
This vibrant slice of Dublin street life follows a love-whipped group of working-class stiffs and small-time punks who intersect in odd, unexpected ways. The break-ups and make-ups are right out of dozens of more heartfelt romantic dramas, but the screenplay takes a few surprisingly wicked detours, branching off into seemingly disparate subplots that all, eventually, collide with ferocious wit and black humor. The talented ensemble cast is supported by a colorful gallery of unruly kooks, yet it's bit-player Farrell who steals the show as a charming sociopath who speaks with a barely decipherable brogue as thick as his bushy eyebrows. The film's criss-crossing structure, boisterous energy and well-chosen soundtrack make it feel like a spiritual sibling to Trainspotting, but with love substituting for heroin as the characters' primary addiction.