Situations Vacant

Lisa Mulcahy’s new Irish comedy film tells the stories of 3 young Dubliners and their problems with work and women. Jesus.

Dave (Diarmuid Noyes) lives with his mother and goes on a succession of white-collar interviews where his imaginative forays spill over into lies in an effort to secure a job and a girl. Vinny (Shaun Dunne) is an unqualified painter who accepts the challenge to get a girl. Tom (Sam Corry)is trapped in a loveless relationship and a dead-end job and bullied in both.

It’s impossible to warm to the central character Dave, who comes across as quite smug and the film falls flat as, by the end, it is difficult to care about him. Vinny’s character is likeable but is under written and one-dimensional, though he does come somewhat into his own at the end. Tom is the strongest of the three and is well played by Corry. His situation is by far the most interesting and shows the most comic potential, which, unfortunately is never realized; and perhaps, if it were developed, there could have been a much better film on offer here.

As it is, Situations Vacant suffers from an uninspired script, clunky dialogue, lightweight characters and an annoying, repetitive soundtrack. For the most part, it comes across like an undergraduate project.

The surrounding characters provide some relief from the narrative that drags along trying to piece its comic set-ups together – Dave’s mother, a creepy social welfare officer, the pub sage. Unfortunately it’s not enough to liven up the tiresome story line that staggers along. There are many problems with the film; the main one being that it’s just not funny.

How this project got any sort of green light beggars belief. The blame has to lie at the feet of the Irish Film Board who funded this muck. Who read this script and allowed it to be made? It seems that a clique is at work here, all thinking that what is going on is hilarious – it’s not. This is supposed to be a funny take on modern day Dublin – it’s not. It’s like someone dressing a dog up and trying to pass it off to you as your Granny.

It’s difficult to have a comedy without central comic figures or situations and the ‘one-of-the-lads’ set of characters cannot bring any light to this dull affair. It’s a shame when an Irish film gets a cinematic release and it’s as mediocre as this. There is plenty of talent out there – it just needs those with the money to get behind the right projects.

Sadly, Situations Vacant is just not one of them.