Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2327 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-06-12
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English, Latin
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 110 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
When local wag Jackie O'Shea (Ian Bannen) discovers that one of his neighbours in the village of Tulaigh Mohr is a lottery winner he sees a chance to share in the wealth. Things get complicated when Jackie and his pal Michael O'Sullivan (David Kelly) discover that the winner, Ned Devine, died of shock at the very moment he learned of becoming a millionaire. Undaunted, Jackie and Michael dispose of the lucky stiff and hatch a plot to impersonate him and claim the prize. Soon the whole village is involved and the plot rapidly thickens.

This film has been compared to The Full Monty, but it lacks the vein of desperation that added depth to that film. Instead, Waking Ned is closer in tone to classic British comedies like Whisky Galore!, with its cast of eccentrics gleefully conspiring to outwit the authorities. Those with a low tolerance for twinkly eyed Irish charm might be tempted to steer clear, although the movie is saved, for the most part, by its central performances. Bannen is superb as an old man who is clearly hungry for any excitement he can drum up and David Kelly is remarkable as his scrawny sidekick. Kelly has had a long career as a character actor in film and television, but here he has a chance to really let loose. His naked motorcycle ride is a marvellous set-piece and in all of his other scenes his twitchy, perfectly timed performance quite simply steals the movie. --Simon Leake, Amazon.com

Special Features
2.35 Wide Screen
16:9 Wide Screen
DVD 5
English
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital Surround English
Dolby Digital Surround
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Original Theatrical Trailer
None

Synopsis
A comedy about the inhabitants of Tulley More, a small Irish town with a population of fifty-two and dwindling. When Jackie and Michael discover that someone in their town has won the national lottery, they intend to uncover the lucky individual and talk him into sharing the jackpot with them. Trouble arises when they discover it's good old Ned Devine, and no longer is he one of the living. The citizens must band together and fool the authorities into believing that Ned is still alive, in order for them to receive the money and share it amongst themselves.

Customer Reviews

Waking Ned
I have seldom been so entertained by such a distinct lack of action in all my life. The film just goes to prove that it is crafty dialogue, a well worked plot and excellent acting that goes to make a wonderful film and not spectacular special effects or wall to wall fight scenes.

The main plot of the winning lottery ticket is superbly crafted by Ian Bannen and David Kelly (who doesn't look a moment different from when he played incompetent builder O'Reilly in Faulty Towers!) and these two wily old dogs concoct their plan to defraud the Irish Lottery, involving the whole village in their madcap scheme.

The sub-plot of the triangular love affair involving pig farmer James Nesbit (for whom greater things awaited after this film) is just sublime in its gentle loveliness and is almost worthy of a film in its own right. Beautifully coupled with the questions over the boy Maurice's parentage and then this itself attached to the young boy's relationship with the village's priest, it is really well executed.

The other supporting characters are fantastic in their own quirkiness

In a way it's a throwback to more innocent times when everyone knew their neighbours and never travelled further than their birthplace.

The humour is not laugh out loud, but the humorous parts are genuinely funny and in many respects more enjoyable for their gentle wit. Mix that with some indisputable touching scenes and the mix really is a winner. Admittedly it does play the "ideal Irish" card pretty heavily and makes out Ireland to be everything us outsiders dream it is, but that said the scenery is stunning (albeit Isle of Mann scenery) and the music fantastic.

Good, honest, feelgood comedy
One of the funniest films I have ever seen. Not necessarily roll-around-on-the-floor funny or zany Jim Carrey funny but full of clever comedy from start to finish. Subtlety and laugh-out-loud funniness combine seamlessly. Some people have taken issue with the film's purported condonement of fraud, but decide that for yourself.

The stunning scenery (filmed entirely on the Isle of Man) and eminently well-matched musical soundtrack (the monumental climax at the end of the film is simply stunning) complement fabulous performances from the cast and create a wonderful film to be enjoyed time and time again

Really entetaining
This is a film for anybody who enjoys a story which has charm and comedy.
I've seen it three times and only look forward to seeing it once again.
It gets better each time.
Its one of those films you can surprise friends with because they have probably not heard how good it is.
Buy it if you enjoy good acting and a lovely fuuny story.