A Conversation with Dan Ireland

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=80 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="04000500dvldtc.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Reel Movie Critic.com</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reel Movie Critic.com"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id2021.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star"><U>Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id2026.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Bosss Daughter"><U>My Boss's Daughter</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id2014.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Scenes de Crimes"><U>Scenes de Crimes</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id2018.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Girl From Paris"><U>Girl From Paris</U></A>   |   <B>A Conversation with Dan Ireland</B>   |   <A HREF="id2005.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="And Now Ladies and Gentlemen"><U>And Now Ladies and Gentlemen</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id2006.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Northfork"><U>Northfork</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id2015.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Passionada"><U>Passionada</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id2017.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Conversation with Peter Mullan"><U>A Conversation with Peter Mullan</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id2024.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mondays in the Sun"><U>Mondays in the Sun</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id1979.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Magdalene Sisters.....reviewed by Ge"><U>The Magdalene Sisters.....reviewed by George</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="041d2c00dvldtc.png"> <div> <B>Home Page for</B></div> <div> <B>      </B><A HREF="http://newbookdiscounts.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://newbookdiscounts.com/"><U><B>Books</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>           </B><A HREF="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/travelforless/id364.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/travelfor"><U><B>Travel</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>                </B><A HREF="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/"><U><B>Movies</B></U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>                   </B><A HREF="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/travelforless/id361.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/travelfor"><U><B>Great Web Sites</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>Similar Genres</B></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/id1425.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/id1425.ht"><U><B>Celebrity Interviews</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=400 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> A Conversation with Dan Ireland</div> <div> <IMG SRC="436fac40.png" border=0 width="250" height="196" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="390" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="384"><div> A Conversation with Dan Ireland</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="384"><div> <A HREF="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/20035q/id2015.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/20035q/id"><U>Director of "Passionada"</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> As with many independent films, positive reviews and strong word of mouth will determine the financial success of director Dan Ireland's romantic comedy, <A HREF="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/20035q/id2015.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/20035q/id"><U>"Passionada."</U></A> It may also impact the ability of the director to make more films. The film is opening with what is called a "platform release," city by city, giving time for word of mouth to help build momentum. Without big budget advertising, which even the "indie" film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding " received, good reviews motivate the early viewers to see the film and word of mouth takes over from there. Such is the case with the current indie hit "Bend it like Beckman."</div> <bR> <div> In my interview with Dan Ireland he said that early indications are good, as "audiences really responded positively" to the film in test screenings. That was the case with "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," initially presented to the ethnic community depicted in the film. For this movie, rather than Greeks, it's Portuguese-Americans in Massachusetts. </div> <bR> <div> Dan was planning to come to Chicago to promote the film prior to its opening but the East Coast blackout caused so many transportation disruptions that he had to cancel his trip. Recently, we did the interview over the telephone from his home in California. "Everyone loves redemption and this movie is about second chances at life and love." What Dan likes best about the film is "the spirit and heart and soul of it. It's the most simple film I've made as far as story is concerned, but to get it right was a tough, tough thing. It has a universal message of second chances, being open to love, being open to life. The hope and the heart.</div> <bR> <div> "My mother was deserted by my father when we were young. She did not want to go out with other men, so eventually we would set her up on dates, unfortunately with disastrous consequences. As this is a key element of the story, there was a little tinge of connection when I read the script. I could relate to the fire of the Portuguese culture…there is a lot of passion that these people have, hence where the title came from…"Passionada."</div> <bR> <div> The talent in the film is so outstanding that many of my questions were about the actors. We've seen Jason Isaacs as a villain in "The Patriot" and "Harry Potter," and Sofia Milos as a hard-nosed detective on TV's "CSI Miami." Here their roles are direct opposites of what we might expect. Isaacs plays the bad guy very well, and Ireland described him as "incredible as a female impersonator in "Sweet November." This showed that he had a comedic side in addition to being the bad guy. Here, he is Charles, a card counting gambler, who fascinates 17-year-old Vicky (Emmy Rossum). Dan compares Rossum  to his find of Renee Zellweger, who he directed in her debut film ("Whole Wide World"). </div> <bR> <div> In the film Sofia Milos is Celia, Vicky's mother, a working class widow who sings achingly beautiful songs in "fado" (an operatically soulful, blues-like Portuguese folk music) at local night clubs. Ireland said, "Sofia was a gift from God. She was the toughest to cast. When she walked into the room, I was thinking, make her as good as she looks." She was.</div> <bR> <div> Lupe Ontiveros ("Real Women have Curves") was cast as Celia's mother-in-law, also a widow. "I wanted a good actress. She is one of the finest actresses working today and she should not be exclusively relegated to Latina roles."</div> <bR> <div> Dan is working on a new project called "The Beauty of Jane." Set in England in 1912, it's a love story about a woman in her late 30's sought after by a man in his late 20's. She rejects him and later realizes that she made a mistake. When she tries to get him back into her life, he's not ready to be embraced so quickly. "It's funny, vibrant and it breaks your heart."</div> <bR> <div> One thing that Dan seems to understand is the heart, and for those who like romantic films that are not corny melodramas, "Passionada" will be a pleasant experience. Dan says of Passionada, "One of the things I wanted to do with this film is to challenge the audience yet succeed in making people feel good." He has done that, with a good story, intoxicating music and characters you care about, creating a picture that gives you passion.</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="621" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> George O. Singleton  © 2003</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> <A HREF="mailto:george@reelmoviecritic.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:george@reelmoviecritic.com"><U><U>george@reelmoviecritic.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>