[Excerpt from a post originally made on the "Tales from the Freakpit" blog]Marian Quinn's Irish coming of age drama 32A concerns a quartet of young teenage girls growing up in Dublin in the seventies, with the spotlight in particular falling on young Maeve (Ailish McCarthy), as they enter that terrifying time when they're not longer little children but aren't yet women (the title of the film, in case you've not yet figured it out, is a bra reference).
In its treatment of the young girls' problems the film isn't exactly breaking any new ground - we've all seen similar movies, and as long as there are teenagers there will always be a market for such things - but its nevertheless a warm, moving and funny film with a likable cast, headed up by a promising group of young new actresses. Orla Long, Riona Smith and Sophie Jo Wasson are all great, but the film really belongs to Ailish McCarthy, whose leading turn as Maeve is truly wonderful, marking the debut of a young girl surely destined for bigger things.
Credit is also due to Quinn not just for writing and directing, but also (together with her crew) employing every trick available to recreate 1970s Dublin with a budget that would embarrass producers of more famous period films. The film is doing well on the festival circuit at the moment but I have no idea if it will score a wider release. While I can certainly see it happening in Ireland, I have my doubts as to whether or not any overseas markets will take a gamble on it. That's a real shame because despite the Irish focus, it's a universal story and one which possesses more heart and soul than a great many lesser Hollywood ventures into similar territory.
In its treatment of the young girls' problems the film isn't exactly breaking any new ground - we've all seen similar movies, and as long as there are teenagers there will always be a market for such things - but its nevertheless a warm, moving and funny film with a likable cast, headed up by a promising group of young new actresses. Orla Long, Riona Smith and Sophie Jo Wasson are all great, but the film really belongs to Ailish McCarthy, whose leading turn as Maeve is truly wonderful, marking the debut of a young girl surely destined for bigger things.
Credit is also due to Quinn not just for writing and directing, but also (together with her crew) employing every trick available to recreate 1970s Dublin with a budget that would embarrass producers of more famous period films. The film is doing well on the festival circuit at the moment but I have no idea if it will score a wider release. While I can certainly see it happening in Ireland, I have my doubts as to whether or not any overseas markets will take a gamble on it. That's a real shame because despite the Irish focus, it's a universal story and one which possesses more heart and soul than a great many lesser Hollywood ventures into similar territory.
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