The Front Line (2006) Reviews

• A very good movie that deserves to succeed

  Major_Movie_Star2006-09-04

  I'd be inclined to give this movie 8.5 out of 10. It is a refreshing example of a good story well told, in contrast to the contrived pap and movie-star-vehicles that spill out of Hollywood these days. It is an ambitious and brave attempt by the director/writer/producer to do something top-notch for Irish cinema. It has something to show and something to tell. The tagline is well chosen, and the theme is well resolved. The theme is that none of us knows who he is until put to the test. I found the story entirely believable. Gleeson is something of a man with a mission who tries to do a little bit too much. He brings a racist cleaner/maintenance-man into the plot, in part to demonstrate the man's conversion to good thinking; unfortunately this is done in a way that injures the credibility of the plot, and it would be best if it could be cut entirely before the film goes on broader release. It has been said that Gleeson has made "a hard-edged underworld thriller with a twist", and he has indeed. It has also been said that "everything happens a little too quickly and Gleeson might have slowed things down to build characters and relationships rather than show them in flashback later on, when it's too late, and we've already decided if we like or dislike those involved". That is particularly true of McSorley's character; a little more time and finesse would have gone a long way toward establishing the basis of his empathy with Joe Yumba. Gleeson's screenplay is remarkably original, and worth seeing for that reason alone. He spent six weeks in the Democratic Republic of Congo in early 2004, meeting people who had been in similar situations. He also researched the ongoing conflict in the State, which has resulted in the deaths of as many as five million people, from horrific acts of brutality. The showdown between Joe and the gangsters on the capital's Henry Street is a particular highlight, and a piece of modern Irish cinema at its best. The Front Line has been described elsewhere as "a refreshing, character-driven alternative to the shallow comedies, thrill-less thrillers and bum-numbing budget-chewing two-hour-plus epics currently clogging up your local cinema schedules." So it is. It is not perfect, but its good points far outweigh its bad points, and it is more than a cut above the average. Hopefully Gleeson will go on to do more and better.

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• Quite simply the most unexpected best film I've seen this year!

  rick_uk2007-02-09

  I've watched some films this year really expecting, and hoping, they would be good. Some met my expectations, some exceeded them and some fell short. I had not heard of this film; but it was the most unexpected joy since Everything Is Illuminated (2005). It succeeds on so many levels. As a thriller is gripped me from the first beat to the last. The characters were well-rounded, believable and performances, especially by Ebouaney, McSorley and N'Diaye were superb. Where had these actors come from? I to search IMDb to convince myself they were acting! I don't know much about Congolese politics, but the back story was completely believable and horrifying in equal measure. "Documentary" shots and montages worked well to reinforce this. And it made me want to learn more and reconsider my thoughts on the "problem" of "their" immigration. Whoever "they" may be. In response to world events, some films in recent years have rightly focused on international politics, the communication between people within and between different nations. And Crash did very well, hence Babel, both of which I enjoyed. But this film achieves more than what both of the above did and on a fraction of the budget! I'd never heard of David Gleeson, but his writing and direction was superb. I will definitely be renting the whole of his back catalogue - and buying this DVD. Please put lots of extras on it David! In summary, I was blown away by the performances of the actors, the detail and complexity of the script and the way in which the subject matter was handled. To come across such a film from left-field was a joy and a rare pleasure. I hope it reflects positively on the CV's of all involved and we see much more of them, as they deserve it. Great job David and all involved.

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• Pure Cinema!

  jamesbond0002006-08-29

  Who would have thought it possible? A shoot-em-up with serious soul. Writer/director David Gleeson's decision to offer Dublin-based heist-movie THE FRONT LINE as his attempt to build on the promise shown in his debut, COWBOYS & ANGELS, might initially have smacked of the formulaic. But the good news is that the end product bristles with freshness and cinematic sophistication. There's nothing new about a heist movie with a hard edge, but THE FRONT LINE comes with a hard edge and considerable heart. Convincing performances and visually strong production values ensure the thriller aspect of the first half will bring you to the edge of the seat. Unlike so many comparable efforts, however, THE FRONT LINE gives you something to think about when you get there. Just as it seems inevitable that entertainment levels will flag, disturbing revelations about Joe's true identity elevate proceedings to an absorbing consideration of that most fertile of territories for great art – the sometimes thin line between the divine and the depraved. Ebouaney and McSorley are strikingly good in the central roles, and while some of the observances about Dublin-based gangsters seem a tad far-fetched, this is but a minor quibble. Gleeson has delivered a terrific film that reminds us what big screens were made for.

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• A Ground breaking film

  greenbuff2006-09-21

  The Front Line marks a major watershed in Irish cinema. Addressing issues of immigration and the horrors of genocide in Africa in a contemporary thriller which plays out on the streets of Dublin, David Gleeson has raised the bar considerably for an Irish film. The director's previous film, Cowboys and Angels, which he also wrote, stands as one of the best Irish films of the last decade. Deceptively simple and light in tone Gleeson addressed similar issues of alienation and broke new ground even then by moving away from the ponderous and the frankly dour image which Irish films hitherto presented of Ireland. Although a very different film and working with a much larger budget, The Front Line is a more rewarding cinematic experience. Graced with a hypnotic central performance from Eriq Ebouaney the film grips from the opening set up in the Garda Immigration bureau. Supporting cast are exceptional with outstanding turns from Fatou N'Diaye as Kala and Hakeem Kae Kazim as the sinister and hugely charismatic Erasmus. James Frain turns in a chilling performance as the scariest bad guy ever to roam the streets of Dublin. Patrick Cassidy's music also deserves particular praise. I can't think of any other film with which to compare this. Perhaps Dirty Pretty Things comes closest but for emotional impact this is a far richer experience.

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• Delivers so much more than it promises

  dfgrayb2009-02-25

  What starts off looking like a routine action thriller about a bank heist gradually becomes something much more. Eriq Ebouaney is a security guard at a bank, whose family is kidnapped to force him to assist in the robbery. The film is in many respects a revisiting of the John Wayne/John Ford classic The Searchers, in that the viewer gradually realizes that the ostensible plot (the bank robbery) is not really at the center of the film. Just as in The Searchers, where the film is really about Wayne's search to find his own humanity and not his niece who has been captured by the Comanches, so too in The Front Line, Ebouaney's pursuit to rescue his family is his search to find his own redemption as a human being. Over the course of the film, because of the fine performances and direction, we are drawn into Ebouaney's internal pain and love, and we almost want to say to him "Be at peace. Your soul is good." This is a remarkable and moving film. Successful on many levels. Ebouaney's performance is stunning. The plot, which begins as a bank robbery, becomes a story that is breathtakingly beautiful, powerful, and unforgettable.

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