Breakfast On Pluto
Director: Neil Jordan
Rated: MA
Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas
Now screening



Irish director Neil Jordan touched audiences with the brilliant 'The Crying Game', and here he refines some of his past themes into a magical entertainment. Based on the novel by Patrick McCabe, this story centres around Patrick/Kitty Braden (Cillian Murphy) who started life as a foundling. Left on the Braden family's doorstep as a newborn, he's been getting by on his wits and good looks. Frustrating his teachers and adoptive parents, he delights his friends with his irreverent and unconventional behaviour.

Patrick's early fascination with women's clothing and his androgynous appearance lead him into an adolescence of ambiguous gender identification. It is the 1970s and we watch events of great romance and danger, over a twelve-month period, including with a dope-smoking biker gang. Patrick/Kitty soon leaves the small village of Tyreelin in war-torn Ireland for London, in search of his mother. Along the way he joins touring rock'n'roll band ' Billy Rock and the Mohawks', as a squaw for songs like 'Running Bear' and 'Wig Wam Bam'. He later falls-in briefly and hilariously with The Wombles. These episodes are presented as many, short, titled chapters, but really the film coherent chronicles the journey of an endearing and resilient young man.

The acting is exceptional, with characters developed quickly but deftly. Murphy stars as Patrick/Kitty, who maintains a sunny, upbeat disposition in the face of great challenges. Although his imperturbable and unflappable persona conceals much of his inner turmoil, we get to know the character deeply through his fearless actions. A cameo appearance from Bryan Ferry is suitably creepy.

There are many rich textures to the story, including the presence of Patrick's Down syndrome brother and the omnipresence of the music of the time. The songs are charming pop, tending towards schmaltz, and include T-Rex (Patrick looks a lot like a young Marc Bolan), Dusty Springfield, Slade, Nilsson, Bobby Goldsboro, Nancy Sinatra, Billy Paul, Middle of the Road, Jimmy Ruffin and Van Morrison.

Along with all the flared trousers and pop music, the seventies in Ireland and England was also a time of terrorist attacks. These people are innocents, caught up in the terror of militarism. This darker side surfaces from time to time, along with scenes about serious social issues including abortion.

A film maker's film maker, Jordan pays homage to some greats. This includes an extended recreation of a scene from 'Paris Texas', and there are flocks of Lynchian CGI robins as seen in 'Blue Velvet' (here, to the accompaniment of Silver Convention's Fly Robin Fly, naturally).

For those new to Jordan's themes and extraordinary talents, the dazzling, sometimes surreal storytelling here will be revelatory. There are deeply sad scenes, but ultimately the film contains a great deal of reconciliation, joy and love, and could be one of the year's best.

Andrew Bunney