: It features all his trademarks—deadpan humor, extreme profanity, and sudden, shocking violence.
It’s 27 minutes of pure, unadulterated Irish dark comedy that manages to be deeply moving while making you feel slightly guilty for laughing.
Set on a train journey through the Irish countryside, the story follows Donnelly (played by the incomparable Brendan Gleeson ), a man whose wife has died that very morning. His quiet grief is violently interrupted when he’s seated across from a foul-mouthed, potentially psychotic young man who refuses to let him mourn in peace. Why It’s a Must-Watch:
“Shocking, heartbreaking and very funny, often simultaneously.” IMDb
: It won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film in 2006, beating out stiff competition. Film Trivia:
: Rúaidhrí Conroy steals every scene as the "Kid," a character so annoying he becomes genuinely terrifying.
The film was shot on a . The crew had to return the train to Irish Rail by 4:00 PM every day so it could be cleaned for the evening commute.
It marks the film debut of (Brendan’s son), who appears briefly as a train cashier.