Reefer and the Model

Reefer, Spider and Badger eke out a living on a dilapidated trawler, having renounced (provisionally, at least) their lawless past. When the homeless, pregnant 'Model' (Scanlan) - returning from London to kick a heroin habit - joins the crew and begins a hesitant relationship with Reefer (McElhinney), the men's complacent beliefs and faded ideals come in for reappraisal...but one last caper proves inevitable. This sharp thriller sparks with vitality and wit, artfully playing its macho hero off against the innate authority of the pregnant Model, and discovering refreshing variations on the 'underdogs against the world' formula. Comerford is strong on spiky characterisation and political nuance, but uneasy when it comes to the mechanics of narrative development (the time scale is particularly erratic) and stylistic treatment. Disarmingly balancing elements of Ealing-esque whimsy and violent realism, the ending comes perilously close to incoherence, arguably romanticising the very mentality it attempts to undercut. Even so, the film has a relevance and resonance you won't find in many a more polished effort.