King of the Travellers

This ambitious low-budget drama set in the Irish Traveller community has shades of ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Trouble is, a bit of ‘Father Ted’ slips in there too, with some unintentionally hilarious lines and cardboard-stiff amateurish acting.

John Connors is John Paul, a young ex boxer who could have been a contender, but who now makes do fighting bareknuckle bouts. When a rival clan rumoured to have been responsible for his dad’s murder settle their caravans on a nearby site, he swears revenge – and promptly falls in love with the head of the family’s daughter. There are some gnarly authentic lines here – ‘I’d break your neck like a twig, boyo’ – and a decent twist, but ‘King of the Travellers’ is punching above its weight.