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Tell Others About This Page By Using This Button "RORY O'SHEA WAS HERE" (2005) (James McAvoy, Steven Robertson) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Minor Heavy Mild None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None None None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy None Heavy Moderate Minor QUICK TAKE: Drama: Two severely physically disabled young men strive for independence as they take the risky move of leaving a group home for a place they can call their own. PLOT: Michael Connolly (STEVEN ROBERTSON) is a young man with cerebral palsy who lives in the Carrigmore Special Home for Special People, a facility designed for high needs residents and which is run by Eileen (BRENDA FRICKER). With no one being able to understand his slurred speech, Michael is isolated, both in the home and within his body, a point only exacerbated by the fact that his barrister father, Fergus Connolly (GERARD McSORLEY), has basically washed his hands of his disabled son. Things look up for Michael when a new resident arrives in the form of Rory O'Shea (JAMES McAVOY). While his muscular dystrophy has reduced his movement to two fingers and his head, Rory still possess a caustic wit and it's not long before he's shaking the place up. While his dad, Con O'Shea (TOM HICKEY), occasionally drops by with some beer, Rory really wants his independence and hates everything the group home represents. Unfortunately, he's turned down by an independent living allowance board that doesn't see him as the ideal candidate to go out on his own. Rory, however, figures a way around that ruling by getting the board to approve such an allowance for Michael. And since Rory is the only one who can understand his speech, the wily spirit tags along as his interpreter. As they set out on their own, they realize they'll need some part-time assistance, and thus seek out grocery store worker Siobhan (ROMOLA GARAI) who they previously met in a bar. While initially reluctant, she finally agrees and the threesome set up a new home for the two newly independent souls. Yet, with Michael progressively falling for Siobhan and Rory causing or ending up in one form of trouble or another, it's questionable whether the two young men will be able to live the independent lives they both so desperately want. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Those interested in stories about the physically disabled might be interested in it, but I don't otherwise see many kids rushing out to see this one. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: JAMES McAVOY plays a young man suffering from muscular dystrophy who's a bit of a playful troublemaker who wants his independence more than anything else. He uses strong profanity, is outspoken, and does some drinking while trying to make Michael realize he should want his independence. STEVEN ROBERTSON plays a resident of the group home who has cerebral palsy and is content living there until Rory opens his eyes about independence. He ends up moving into his own place with Rory and ends up falling for Siobhan. He also does a bit of drinking. ROMOLA GARAI plays a young woman who takes a job as their part-time caretaker, must deal with Michael's attraction to her, briefly uses some strong profanity, and drinks some. GERARD McSORLEY plays Michael's father, a barrister who apparently wants nothing to do with having a handicapped son. TOM HICKEY plays Rory's father who occasionally comes around for a visit, always with some beer for his son. BRENDA FRICKER plays the head of the group home who's concerned about Michael when he moves out on his own with Rory. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 32 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present (including that about sex, erections, masturbation and more), while some women are seen in scanty attire in person and in photos, posters or artwork (the latter shows a bare-breasted woman). Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, some drink in various scenes, and there's some brief crude humor (regarding urination). Thematic elements include that involving severely disabled people striving to be independent as well as some tense family material regarding a father who wants nothing to do with his disabled son, and later a father grieving at a funeral. Various instances of potentially imitative behavior are present, while a jerk in a pub grabs a severely disabled man and nearly picks a fight with him. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there are some partial strobe effects in a club. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Rory asks the others about wanting to be like everyone else, including getting drunk, arrested and "laid." Rory's father visits and brings him some beer that Rory drinks with a straw. Miscellaneous people drink in a pub where Rory and Michael enter and then proceed to spend their collected charity contributions on drinks for themselves and two women they meet there (we see that they've had many drinks). Rory states that the others have been funding the needs of the disabled and that he needs a drink. People have drinks in a club. Fergus holds a glass of wine. We see the guys and Siobhan buying champagne at the store, with Michael later drinking some from a straw. Rory's father arrives with a six-pack of beer, stating it might be early for that. Rory then jokes that it's never too early. Siobhan has a drink at home before a costume party where various people drink (and she has a beer). BLOOD/GORE Rory wants Siobhan to unzip him so that he can pee, but she has no part of that (they've just met). We later see Michael's urine stream as he urinates in an alley, while Rory states "it was wet anyway" (meaning he's peed his pants in the rain). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Rory is a bit of a playful troublemaker who freely speaks his mind and tries to get the others out of their complacency (some may view that as being a bad attitude, while others may not). Rory wakes up everyone at night playing loud music in his room. Upon hearing Michael's garbled speech, Rory jokingly says he doesn't speak Swahili (although he alone can perfectly understand him). Rory repeatedly calls Michael "Mary" as a playful putdown. Miscellaneous people drink in a pub where Rory and Michael enter and then proceed to spend their collected charity contributions on drinks for themselves and two women they meet there (we see that they've had many drinks). Rory states that the others have been funding the needs of the disabled and that he needs a drink. After Rory accidentally bumps into a guy in a pub, that guy has a bad attitude toward Rory, nearly picking a fight with him (grabbing him by his scarf at his neck). Rory uses the term "cripple" in a playful way when describing himself and Michael (some may see that as having a bad attitude). Rory tells various white lies (such as Michael being a barrister) to get into bars, etc. Michael is visibly upset when visiting his father (who doesn't ever come to see him and presumably hasn't seen him in quite some time). His father then reluctantly agrees to get an apartment for him and Rory in exchange for the old status quo (meaning Michael doesn't ever visit him). A kid takes Rory's cap while passing by him on the street. Rory treats Siobhan badly in one scene, enough so that she leaves in a huff (but later silently returns to put him and Michael to bed). Rory is mean but realistic to Michael in regards to the latter's romantic chances with Siobhan. After Siobhan politely turns down Michael's romantic advances and then leaves, Rory shouts out that Michael "likes them with bigger t*ts." FRIGHTENING SCENES After Rory accidentally bumps into a guy in a pub, that guy has a bad attitude toward Rory, nearly picking a fight with him (grabbing him by his scarf at his neck). We see that Siobhan has left an iron lying on some clothing on the ironing board (and we expect a fire, but that doesn't occur). A person is suddenly sick and taken off in an ambulance where others are told the person only has a day to live (from pneumonia). That person then dies. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Half the f*cking day," "F*ck off," "Laurence f*cking Olivier," "F*ck it," "We're both f*cked," "F*ck you" (said playfully), "Oh f*ck," "F*cker," "You f*cking sh*t," "Sh*t-taste," "Kiss my ass," "Bollocks-ed," "You dope," "Wanker," "What a bastard," "You filthy mongrel," "Jeez," "Piss," "Bitches," "Arses" (for asses), "Shut up," "Bloody" and "Just you and me in cripple heaven." Rory has spiked hair and a large nostril ring, as well as multiple piercings in his ear. Rory is a bit of a playful troublemaker who freely speaks his mind and tries to get the others out of their complacency. Rory wakes up everyone at night playing loud music in his room. Rory repeatedly calls Michael "Mary" as a playful putdown. In art class, Michael blows paint out through a straw onto a canvas as his artwork. We see a miscellaneous woman wearing a midriff-revealing top. Rory uses the term "cripple" in a playful way when describing himself and Michael. We see that some kids are driving Rory around in a car quite fast through the neighborhood. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 32 "f" words (with another possible one used sexually as is the term "laid"), 4 "s" words, 3 slang terms using male genitals ("pr*ck"), 1 for breasts ("t*ts"), 3 asses (1 used with "hole"), 2 bollocks, 1 wanker, 2 uses of "Oh Jesus" and 1 use each of "For Christ's sakes" and "Jesus." SEX/NUDITY Rory states that he still has use of two fingers that he uses for self-propulsion (in his motorized wheelchair) and "self abuse" (presumably meaning masturbation). A poster in Michael's room show some classic artwork that shows a bare-breasted woman. We also see a photo on his wall of him and two bikini-clad girls. After a joke is made about a "gift" (as in a talent), a worker asks if it's time for Rory's bath and he replies, "Only if you wash my gift." Rory asks the others about wanting to be like everyone else, including getting drunk, arrested and "laid." Rory jokingly asks if Michael is saving himself (meaning being a virgin) for his wedding night. After telling a jerk to leave Rory alone (when the guy nearly picked a fight with him), Siobhan tells Rory that he should be careful as his mouth is the only part of him that works. He then jokingly replies that he has a "part or two" down below that also work. We see some scantly clad women in small shorts and tight tops in a club. Rory may say "We're f*cking her...the two of us" (referring to himself, Michael and Siobhan) just to goad another resident of their former home (but the thick accent may have played tricks on our ears). We see part of a poster in Rory's room that shows a swimsuit model lying face down facing the camera, showing some cleavage as well as some partial butt cheeks. Siobhan bathes Michael and it's implied (by his and her facial reactions) that he gets an erection (the camera shot does not show that part of his body). Rory later jokingly asks Michael, "Did you get a hard-on?" While dancing with Siobhan at a party, Michael (in his wheelchair) puts his head to her clothed chest and then begins to paw at her (until they're separated). After Siobhan politely turns down Michael's romantic advances and then leaves, Rory shouts out that Michael "likes them with bigger t*ts." SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We hear that Michael's father is a lawyer who never visits his son, and that Michael's mother is dead. Michael is visibly upset when visiting his father (who doesn't ever come to see him and presumably hasn't seen him in quite some time). His father then reluctantly agrees to get an apartment for him and Rory in exchange for the old status quo (meaning Michael doesn't ever visit him). We see a grieving father and others at a funeral. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The physically disabled and homes set up for them. Muscular dystrophy (what Rory has). Cerebral Palsy (what Michael has). Rory uses the term "cripple" in a playful way when describing himself and Michael. Rory half-jokingly tells some cops that it's discrimination that they aren't going to arrest him (for some neighborhood kids - who've since fled -- driving him around the neighborhood quite fast in a car). Rory states that he doesn't want anyone's help. A person is suddenly sick and taken off in an ambulance where others are told the person only has a day to live (from pneumonia). That person then dies. VIOLENCE A woman trips over an electric floor buffer's power cord and falls to the floor (but seems okay). After Rory accidentally bumps into a guy in a pub, that guy has a bad attitude toward Rory, nearly picking a fight with him (grabbing him by his scarf at his neck). Reviewed February 9, 2005 / Posted March 11, 2005