Cowboys & Angels (2003)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

David Gleeson

Writer:

David Gleeson (writer)

Release Date:

7 April 2005 (Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

How far you go is up to you...

Plot:

The story concerns a hapless civil servant who gets more than he bargained for when he moves into an...

Plot Keywords:

Apartment | Fashion | Drugs | Gay | Drug Dealer

Awards:

5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Michael Legge	...	Shane Butler
Allen Leech	...	Vincent Cusack (as Alan Leech)
Amy Shiels	...	Gemma
David Murray	...	Keith
Frank Kelly	...	Jerry
Colm Coogan	...	Budgie
Sean Power	...	Frankie
Alvaro Lucchesi	...	Bunny
Frank Coughlan	...	Richard Walsh
Nigel Mercier	...	Inspector
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jennifer Barry	...	Estate Agent
Jason Cahill	...	Bouncer
Padraig Campbell	...	Detective Black
Louise Carey	...	Girl in Street
Michael Carney	...	Gardai
Patrick Clohessy	...	Man Fighting in Street
Richard Conlon	...	Gardai
Cathal Costello	...	Bouncer #1
Peggy Coyne	...	Old Lady
Mairéad Crowley	...	Doris
Randall Daly	...	Airport Security Guard
Frank Dineen	...	Street Thug
Helena Enright	...	Woman Showing Apt.
Ned Farrell	...	Gardai
John Finn	...	Bouncer
Mike Finn	...	Garda (raid) #2
Karen Fitzgibbon	...	Accident Woman
Niamh Foley	...	Supermacs Girl
Naomi Hanrahan	...	Girl in Street
Angela Harding	...	Mrs. Butler
Armor Harris	...	Gardai
Mary Harvey	...	Esther
Ollie Hayes	...	Newspaper Vendor
Susan Holmes	...	Woman in Hallway
Mary Jackman	...	Fashion Show Model
Niall Johnston	...	Mr. Cusack
Danielle Lawlor	...	Fashion Show Model
Alanna Littleg	...	Fashion Show Model
Kieran Lynch	...	Garda (raid) #1
Julie McEvoy	...	Supermacs Girl - Extra
Maeve McGrath	...	Anne
Michael McGrath	...	Mud Club Student
Brian McNamara	...	Landlord #2
Sharon McNeill	...	Fashion Show Model
Brian Mortell	...	Man Fighting in Street
Garry O'Brien	...	Man Fighting in Street
Mary-Louise O'Callaghan	...	Fashion Show Model
Thomas O'Connor	...	Gardai
Dan O'Driscoll	...	Fashion Show P.A.
Moira O'Dwyer	...	Mrs. Cusack
Martin Philips	...	Detective Roche
Grania Preston	...	Nuala Colgan
Dermot Purcell	...	Photographer
Robert Quigley	...	Bouncer #2
Ann Quill	...	Garda (interview room)
Niamh Quinn	...	Fashion Show Model
Dan Sheehy	...	Landlord #1
Des Waddick	...	Garda
Sue Waters	...	Girl in Street

Also Known As:

The Real Thing (Ireland: English title) (working title)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

Ireland | Germany | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Australia:MA | Ireland:15 (DVD rating) | Ireland:15PG

Filming Locations:

County Limerick, Ireland

Company:

Wide Eye Films

Trivia:

Writer/director David Gleeson had worked in the Department of Agriculture office where the scenes in the movie were filmed. Some of the extras are the people with whom he used to work.

Quotes:

Shane: Are you gay?
Vincent Cusack: Why do you ask?
[pause]
Vincent Cusack: Yes, I am. It's the fashion thing, isn't it?
Shane: It's everything.
[sheepish grin]
Shane: I'm not, by the way.
Vincent Cusack: I figured.
Shane: It's the hair thing, isn't it?
Vincent Cusack: It's everything.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in 2005 Glitter Awards (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Hydrophonic

humanist approach takes care of the rest

Although it sounds like the premise for a formulaic sitcom, Cowboys and Angels turns out to be something entirely different. This big-hearted crowd pleaser, written and directed by David Gleeson, centers on Shane (Michael Legge), a lonely 20-year-old misfit who moves to the big city and takes on a gay roommate, fashion-design student Victor (Allen Leech).

After some queer-eye advice from the popular, outgoing Victor (new haircut, new wardrobe, new attitude), Shane begins to emerge from his shell. But an incidental friendship with the drug dealer who lives downstairs threatens to wreck his life just as it is beginning to come together.

Refreshingly, Cowboys and Angels uses its characters as people, not types, on its way to detailing Shane's gradual coming-of-age. Even with its brief running time, the movie feels slight and padded: The story technically ends 10 minutes before the movie does. But the lack of the expected gay-straight clichés puts you in a forgiving mood, and Gleeson's upbeat, humanist approach takes care of the rest.