Remember Waking Ned Devine?

 

   There are many independent films out there and some aren't mention much because of it. This is one of them. The real reason with this one though is because of where it was filmed. Filming took place in Ireland and in 1998, we were all welcomed to seeing a film called "Waking Ned Devine." What was this film about? 

  Well, it was originally about a few people in Ireland waiting to find out who would win the Jackpot lottery of over millions of dollars (different currency in Ireland of course) There are only fifty-two people in the small town of Ireland and all fifty two of them were playing to find out who would in it big.

    Nobody wins, and everyone goes back to their dreary lives...or so they thought.

 Jackie O'Shea and Michael Sullivan are good friends and Jackie's house is where they had the drawing for the winning numbers. However, someone does not show up. His name...Ned Devine. When there is a plate of chicken left. He realizes Ned Devine did not show up to the party. When he and Mihcael decide to visit him...they find him dead.

   How did Ned die? Well, the mystery of who won the money in the lottery is solved when they see Ned holding the winning Lottery ticket and died of shock. Not knowing what they were going to do, Jackie has a dream of him and Ned on a boat as Ned says that he should split the winning lottery ticket with the whole town. However, they had to find a sneaky way to keep the ticket without the commissioner of the lottery know the real truth.

  There's also a B plot story involving a young woman falling in love with a man who also used to be an old flame with the name of Finn "Pig" who is considered a pig farmer. There are other people in the village that think it's a good idea to keep the money and find a way to show Ned Devine is still alive. They decide to make Michael O'Sullivan portray Ned. 

   There is one old woman who believes that what Jackie and Michael are doing is wrong. She's considered the Karen of the film. (Back before the name Karen was a bad thing) She wants to find the man from the Lottery and tell him the truth that Ned is dead and they should keep the winning ticket, or something like that.

  There are funny moments like the man who works with the Lottery has an allergy when he arrives in Ireland. Michael portrays himself as Ned fooling the Lottery guy as he has to be on a vespa naked going from house to house saying that Michael is the man that is dead. At the funeral, Jackie O'Sullivan makes a eulogy and when the man arrives.... he says something nice about Michael that he never had the heart to say before.

   The funeral happens, the woman who wants to stop the whole travesty ends up getting thrown off a cliff as she tries to call the Irish Lottery to tell the truth, and the ruse works. Even the pig boy ends up getting the young woman in the end. There are some songs that come with it. My favorite is called the Parting Glass. Played at the end of the movie as Jackie, Michael, Finn and a young boy all lift their drinks to the sky and toast Ned.

   I wish this movie was talked about more because it's very good. Sadly, most of the actors that played the lead roles have passed away. Some of the actors are still alive and well...I part my glass to them with this movie being really good. Even the songs were good in the soundtrack. Find a way to get the songs on line if you can because it is very good. To Ned Devine, a movie that is definitely underated.