One of the smaller, but really interesting looking Irish films on the horizon is writer/director Peter Foott’s debut feature film The Young Offenders. The film promises to be a free-wheeling Irish comedy about dreams, friendship, and getting older (but not necessarily any wiser).
The Young Offenders follows the cross-county journey of two teenage scoundrels (Conor & Jock) as they hatch a plan to escape their troubled family lives by finding a bale of cocaine that may or may not have washed up on the West Cork coast and selling it for some quick cash.
In a story inspired by the infamous 2007 multi-million cocaine haul off the coast of Cork, these young rogues journey from inner-city Cork to the West Cork coast the only way they know how, by bicycle. As if the journey wasn’t tough enough, all the way they are followed by a local guard on a personal vendetta against organised bike crime. However when they get to the beach, will any of them be prepared for what they find?
The film stars newcomers Alex Murphy and Chris Walley, Ciaran Bermingham (Patrick’s Day), and Hilary Rose (The Centre,The Republic of Telly). Produced by Julie Ryan, it is a Vico Films production with Cormac Fox and Michael Doherty as executive producers. Creative talent includes Director of Photography Patrick Jordan (Talking to My Father, Leave), and Editor Colin Campbell (You’re Ugly Too), with music from Ray Harman (Love/Hate, Patrick’s Day)
The Young Offenders will be distributed by Wildcard Distribution later this year.
[infobox style=’regular’ static=’1′]
The Young Offenders
Actors: Alex, Murphy, Chris Walley, Ciarán Bermingham, Hilary Rose
Two teenage boys cycle 160km on stolen bikes pursued by police to find a missing bale of cocaine worth 7 million euro. Set around the real event of Ireland’s biggest cocaine seizure in 2007 of 440 million euro.[/infobox]