When Brendan Met Trudy Review

"When Brendan Met Trudy" is best-selling author Roddy ("The Commitments") Doyle’s first original movie script. It tells the story of Brendan, a dull film buff schoolteacher whose life changes when he meets Trudy. She is everything he isn’t; impulsive, unconventional, free thinking, and the only thing she really cares about a movie is whether or not its in colour. The film follows their romance, and the way she gives him confidence and a joy for life, while he shows her that commitment is not necessarily a bad thing.

As you’d expect the film is full of movie in-jokes and on occasions teeters on the surreal. This is one of those films that you really want to like a bit more than you actually do but, unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work. Its gentle, whimsical humour means its not actually that funny, and some of the movie-in jokes are just a little bit too contrived, too self knowing. And while Flora Montgomery makes Trudy a sexy and outrageous character who would be great fun at a party, Peter McDonald’s Brendan never becomes as likeable; and if you don’t like the leading man that much, how much can you possibly enjoy the film?