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Generally, I find biopics about as interesting as counting the number of raisins in a box of Raisin Bran, but John Boorman’s fascinating depiction of a thief in Ireland is an exception. The film is a wonderful examination of a unique individual who, despite being a piece of trash, led a supremely interesting life.

The film follows the life and times of Walter Cahill, a thief in Ireland who was dubbed a modern day Robin Hood for his penchant for ripping off the rich and giving to the poor every now and then. The angle isn’t played up that much in the movie, and Cahill comes off as a semi-insane, totally lovable thief, who is more about greed than any sense of altruistic pilfery. The film starts out with a bang and then gives a brief, but insightful, examination of the young Cahill as he runs from the police with an armful of stolen goods in his Irish ghetto. The film then switches to examine the adult Cahill where he hatches some truly brilliant crimes while avoiding the eye of one Inspector Ned Kenny. Eventually, Cahill gains so much attention and notoriety for his crimes that the police begin following him around and keeping him under surveillance day and night. Cahill doesn’t correct his shady ways and finds creative and amusing ways to ditch the police… all while pissing off some people that he probably should have steered clear of.

The true appeal of the film lies in the wonderful depiction of Walter Cahill by Brendan Gleeson, one of the more under-rated actors operating in movies today. Despite the fact that Cahill is trashy, sleeps with his wife and her sister, has junkies for friends, and is a greedy motherfucker, Gleeson turns the character into a likable old fool, who appears dumb on the surface but is capable of being as ruthless as an old time Chicago mobster and as wiley as a cartoon character.

John Boorman’s film, despite being two hours in length is put together rather nicely. Boorman shows us elements of Cahill’s life through brief but meaningful scenes, that don’t cater to the dumber members of the moviegoing audience. The writing and the manner in which Boorman tells the story of Cahill’s life is an enjoyable experience that captures the dinginess and squalor with which Cahill’s life is soaked. The film does hit a few slow spots, but for the most part, these moments can be over-looked because they usually feature Gleeson at his most interesting moments.

The General is a solid biopic that will have you rooting for the underdog, a man capable of crucifying his friends on a pool table and robbing you blind… but then hooking you up with a package of stolen diapers. Boorman’s ability to turn what would ordinarily be a despicable character into a modern day hero is fascinating, especially since Boorman doesn’t hold back from the more negative aspects of Cahill’s life. It’s an enjoyable ride that puts most biopics to shame.

Final Synopsis: The General is a solidly directed and acted biopic worth seeing for Brendan Gleeson’s performance alone. If this film managed to slip past your radar or you hate biopics, do yourself a favor and check this out. You won’t be disappointed… unless you suck.

Points Lost: -1 for some odd chipmunk sounding audio in certain parts of the film, -1 for some pacing problems

Lesson Learned: Cops are bastards.

Burning Question: Could you make a movie about a dude that broke into your house and still have the guy come off as likable?

The General
8/10

Tags: 1998, biopic, brendan gleeson, drama, john boorman, jon voight, latest movie review, recent2, true story