SPOILER: In the small, isolated town of Tullymore on the Irish coast, Ned Devine has just won the a big jackpot of the Irish lottery: $12.24 million, in U.S. dollars. Ned can't spend a farthing of it, though, because the excitement of winning the prize was too much for him. Ah well, at least old Ned died smiling.
The whole town of 52 knows that the winning number was sold in Tullymore, and finally, Michael O'Shea figures out, by process of elimination (and many chicken dinners at his house) who won it. Upon discovering Ned's sad state, O'Shea decides that if Ned can't enjoy the winnings, then maybe he can. Things get delightfully complicated quickly, and O'Shea has to enlist the rest of Tullymore in his scheme. The whole scam is cheerfully giddy, by turns nerve-wracking, funny, and touching.
The acting was nuanced enough, the characters sympathetic enough, and the web of deception spun slowly enough that I never condemned any of the con gang for trying to defraud the government. In fact, it was a lot of fun to see O'Shea and his buddies, simple men all (but not stupid), wrack their brains, then get increasingly (and uncomfortably) duplicitous in pursuit of the treasure. I found myself wondering what I'd do in their shoes. I might have just joined in and kept my $238,000 share.
The whole town of 52 knows that the winning number was sold in Tullymore, and finally, Michael O'Shea figures out, by process of elimination (and many chicken dinners at his house) who won it. Upon discovering Ned's sad state, O'Shea decides that if Ned can't enjoy the winnings, then maybe he can. Things get delightfully complicated quickly, and O'Shea has to enlist the rest of Tullymore in his scheme. The whole scam is cheerfully giddy, by turns nerve-wracking, funny, and touching.
The acting was nuanced enough, the characters sympathetic enough, and the web of deception spun slowly enough that I never condemned any of the con gang for trying to defraud the government. In fact, it was a lot of fun to see O'Shea and his buddies, simple men all (but not stupid), wrack their brains, then get increasingly (and uncomfortably) duplicitous in pursuit of the treasure. I found myself wondering what I'd do in their shoes. I might have just joined in and kept my $238,000 share.