I saw The Angels' Share at my local independent theater in 2012. We normally see trailers for upcoming films for several weeks before their release. This film did not even have a poster in the lobby. I was intrigued and learned that the film had a whiskey angle. It sounded interesting enough for me to drop nine bucks on a ticket. The film was decent enough, but I could have waited for it on video, where you can now find it.
The Angels' Share opens inside a courtroom, where sundry charges are being read to a variety of low-level criminals. The most serious of the lot belong to a young man named Robbie (Paul Brannigan) who violently assaulted several men who are standing at the back of the courtroom. Robbie narrowly avoids a ten-year jail sentence, receiving 180 hours of community service instead. However, if he violates the terms of his probation, he has a lengthy sentence hanging over his head. The injured men are angered by the sentence and seem determined to help Robbie violate. Robbie realizes he needs to turn his life around, but he must keep his temper in check. His girlfriend is due to give birth any day and he wants to be around to see his son grow up.
Robbie's work crew is run by Harry (John Henshaw), an older man with a kind heart and personal affection for whiskey. Harry takes Robbie under his wing, along with the rest of the miscreants under his charge. Harry takes the youngsters on a Distillery tour where they learn about the process of making whiskey. During a subsequent whiskey tasting, the youngsters learn of a very rare cast of Malt Mill that has been discovered. The value of this rare spirit prompts them to concoct a scheme in an attempt to change their fortunes.
Paul Laverty wrote the script for The Angels' Share, which is a reference to the whiskey that evaporates during the aging process. His characters are unique, although a bit overdone at times. This is his way of evoking cheap humor, which works on a sophomoric level. The story itself has a decent narrative arc, but the messaging seems a bit off. I thought the plot was a bit trite, with a message that seemed to be "the end justifies the means." While I was not particularly fond of the overall theme, the journey was enjoyable enough for a rainy day rental.
The acting was decent. I was unfamiliar with anyone in the cast. Brannigan was believable as a tough guy, in spite of his diminutive stature. He had the right edginess to pull it off. Henshaw was an engaging character that helped give some stability to the cast. The other characters were a bit one-dimensional. Gary Maitland, Jasmin Riggins and William Ruane take on the role as partners-in-crime. Brannigan carried this film, which was an impressive feat for a newcomer. While I wasn't thrilled with this particular movie, I'm not surprised that Brannigan has gotten decent work following this film.
The Angels' Share was not rated by the MPAA. The rating would probably come in around a PG-13 since there is no graphic violence, nudity or sex. The film has plenty of vulgar humor, swearing and thematic material, mostly meant for comedic value. The material was contextual and even funny. While some of the humor might be considered "toilet humor" it was well done for that style. This movie centers on the finer points of whiskey, so drinking figures prominently in the film, although not drunkenness. This film will probably bore younger viewers to tears. Teenage audiences or older will get the humor and might even find some redeeming qualities in the film.
I was entertained with this film and was glad to see it sub-titled. Much of the meaning hung on dialogue too thick to understand. The sub-titles helped me keep up with the conversations. The acting was solid. The story was entertaining and funny (at times), but not necessarily "wholesome." I was disappointed with the plot as a whole, because it seemed to take the easiest way out. This was not necessarily a happy ending film, but they tried to force it into that box. Overall, The Angels' Share was good enough to win numerous awards. Take my perspective for what it's worth. This film will pass for rainy day entertainment. 6.5/10.
