THE YOUNG OFFENDERS (2017)

Written & Directed By: Peter Foott 
Cinematography By: Patrick Jordan 
Editor: Colin Campbell 

Cast: Alex Murphy, Chris Walley, Hilary Rose, Dominic McHale, P.J. Gallagher, Shane Casey, Pascal Scott 


Inspired by the true story of Ireland's biggest cocaine seizure in 2007, The Young Offenders is a comedy road movie about best friends Conor and Jock, two inner-city teenagers from Cork who dress the same, act the same, and even have the same bum-fluff mustaches. Jock is a legendary bike thief who plays a daily game of cat-and-mouse with the bike-theft-obsessed Garda Sergeant Healy. When a drug-trafficking boat capsizes off the coast of West Cork and 61 bales of cocaine, each worth 7 million euro, are seized, word gets out that there is a bale missing. The boys steal two bikes and go on a road trip hoping to find a missing bale which they can sell so as to escape their troubled home lives....But Sergeant Healy is in hot pursuit.


This is a film of high energy and quirky characters. That reminds you of the idealistic mindlessness of youth, but also the freedom And fun of it. Even as you get older and responsibilities loom Large about your future which is still open but it's about time to shape it.

This is a film some might have been waiting for as it is a teenage adventure film that flirts with danger and a dark side but keeps it light enough to be fun and funny.

The film is full of wonder and hijinks where they don't know better with all the lethal dangers around them.

Other than some harsh language the film plays it pretty clean and simple. A perfect film for teenagers as it has that rebelious edge and has characters they can more identify with and for parents or an older audience can remind them of what it was like while not necessarily encouraging any too bad behavior.

As the film is more about taking an adventure to break up the boredom. That might lead to a treasure of it's own.

The two main characters are dim witted but a troubled loyal friend who make each other feel special and not alone in the world. Is what I believe most audience members will identify with.

The film is hilarious as even though it is high concept with the idea leading the story. the laughs more come from the quirky characters. So this is more of a character comedy. It makes some of it's qualities that seem unconventional, conventional and by the end it feels like everything is all In Good fun and comes across as innocence more than anything even in violence and arguments.

The film is based on a true story. Which certainly hasn't been missing from films, but it is nice to see a film where the true story seems to be more of a footnote or one of those you only see a blurb about somewhere and here fleshed out with original characters. that doesn't distract with flashiness or some kind of pulp-ish crime story even if their actions are sometimes inspired by movies they watch. Like trying to recreate a scene from HEAT.

Despite it's touch exterior. It's interior is pretty soft or at least heartwarming. Despite the rougher and tougher elements the characters find themselves around. Though it's a testament to youth that they know there is danger, but never fully realize quite how much and how dangerous their decisions can be. To the point of fatal.

Where you can only love once and never quite realize until you look back how crazy and fun those times were.

This is one of those films that won't change your world but is a nice distraction discovery. Good for an afternoon cinematic break.

Though not as good, This would be a great double feature with the film SING STREET. This film is tougher but the other is deeper.


Grade: B