Troublemakers come in a variety of forms. Some are simply bad seeds who will go on to even worse and possibly dangerous behavior. Others are bored and trying to entertain themselves or others, and the rest are trying to make a point, whether as a cry for attention or an effort to point out some sort of injustice.
How others react to them all depends on such factors, as well as the troublemaker's demeanor and attitude. There's little tolerance for those who are mean, but those who display a certain rascally demeanor are often cut a bit of slack.
The title character in "Rory O'Shea Was Here" is one such person. Of course, it doesn't hurt that he's confined to a wheelchair with use of only two fingers, his vocal chords and his sharp mind and wit. The result is an endearing and engaging character who goes a long way in helping the film be more entertaining than it has the right to be.
If you can imagine a friendlier version of Malcolm McDowell's character from "A Clockwork Orange" with muscular dystrophy and no violent proclivities, you'll get an idea of the charming and impish character who headlines this dramedy about such handicapped characters desiring, striving for and ultimately achieving their goal of independent living.
James McAvoy ("Wimbledon," "Bright Young Things") is rather good playing Rory, even if the material around him doesn't always achieve the same sort of break-out success as its characters. Director Damien O'Donnell ("Heartlands") - who works from a script by Jeffrey Caine ("Goldeneye") -- never strays far from the formula of such pics. Rory is the rascally outsider who appears at a group home, shakes up the status quo, and opens the eyes of another resident -- solidly played by Steven Robertson (making his debut) -- about wanting such independence.
The two set out on their own and must then overcome various internal and external obstacles on their journey. Something of a lightweight and more entertaining version of "My Left Foot," the film offers few surprises, although a late in the game development -- while not unrealistic -- suddenly comes out of the blue with almost no foreshadowing. It's certainly the most blatantly manipulative element (cue the violins and tissues) the film has to offer.
Thankfully, that doesn't also apply to the overall guys-in-wheelchairs element, as the characters are portrayed as real people caught in an unfortunate physical situation. There's the standard array of humor and pathos in how they deal with that, although little of it feels unique.
That also holds true for the story in general that's far stronger in terms of character than actual plot. It helps a great deal, however, that McAvoy and Robertson are so good and believable in their respective roles.
One can sense the trapped, free spirit within Rory's debilitated body, while it's hard not to be crushed watching Michael's love for his part-time aide -- played by Romola Garai ("Vanity Fair," "Nicholas Nickleby") -- blossom and then be revealed, with only him being unaware that it won't likely be reciprocated. Garai is also quite good in her role as the caretaker, while the likes of Brenda Fricker, Tom Hickey and Gerard McSorley appear in smaller, supporting roles.
Overall, while the film is nothing brilliant or novel, and the plot comes up a bit lacking, the strong performances and engaging characters make this a fairly entertaining and uplifting tale of desiring, working for and attaining one's independence, regardless of the situation one might be in. "Rory O'Shea Was Here" rates as a 6 out of 10.
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