Synopsis
Fresh out of prison, Git rescues a former best friend (now living with Git's girlfriend) from a beating at the hands of loan sharks. He's now in trouble with the mob boss, Tom French, who sends Git to Cork with another debtor, Bunny Kelly, to find a guy named Frank Grogan, and take him to a man with a friendly face at a shack across a bog. It's a tougher assignment than it seems: Git's a novice, Bunny's prone to rash acts, Frank doesn't want to be found (and once he's found, he has no money), and maybe Tom's planning to murder Frank, which puts Git in a moral dilemma. Then, there's the long-ago disappearance of Sonny Mulligan. What's a decent and stand-up lad to do?
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Cast
- Brendan GleesonBunny Kelly
- Peter McDonaldGit Hynes
- Tony DoyleTom French
- Peter CaffreyFrank Grogan
- Antoine ByrneSabrina Bradley
- David WilmotAnto
- Michael McElhattonJohnner Doyle
- Joe GallagherSteo Gannon
- Johnny MurphySonny Mulligan
- Rachel BradyGit's Girlfriend
Recommendations
- 80
Los Angeles Times
The way I Went Down, with its lovely score, plays out under Breathnach's gentle, compassionate touch becomes wryly amusing, ironic and entirely satisfying. Its cast is a glory, adept at setting off a sly humor with a touch of pathos, and it brings to the fore Brendan Gleeson, so good in so many supporting parts, as a seriocomic powerhouse in the central role. [1 July 1998, p.F4] - 78
Austin Chronicle
I Went Down is a small, unexpected treat that promises full satisfaction. - 75
Chicago Sun-Times
I Went Down is a crime movie in which the dialogue is a great deal more important than anything else. It takes the form of a road movie and the materials of gangster movies (do real gangsters learn how to act by watching movies?), but what happens is beside the point. It's what they say while it's happening that makes the movie so entertaining. - 75
San Francisco Chronicle
Director Breathnach is in no hurry to pump up the action in this easygoing, episodic on-the-road adventure, and the slow pace may wear thin for some viewers. More than anything, I Went Down is a cleverly observed character study of two losers who find they suddenly stand a chance at winning. - 75
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The accents are thick, but if you listen closely you'll be well rewarded with smart, wry humor, peculiar but likable characters and a story that while slow in spots is altogether intriguing. [1 July 1989, p.E6] - 75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
I Went Down is also a showcase for the directorial talents of Breadnach, who frames the actors and the action with polish and assurance against an unpretty Irish landscape rarely seen in the movies. If you liked Trainspotting and are looking for a quick and dirty cinematic romp, this is just the ticket. [24 July 1998, p.C5] - 70
The New York Times
I Went Down owes much of its novelty to steering clear of Irish movie stereotypes and instead showing off a spare and quizzical indie spirit. - 67
Charlotte Observer
It's got a satisfyingly brisk rhythm and two appealing performances by Brendan Gleeson and Peter MacDonald as good-natured ex-cons. But despite the brogues of their bosses, the tough-guy atmosphere is pleasantly old-hat. [10 July 1998, p.12E]
