Breakfast
On Pluto
Based
on the McCabe novel The Butcher Boy, Breakfast On
Pluto is the story of Patrick Brady; a young man
who is astutely aware at an early age that he is
different. Yet he never seems to carry that as a
burden.
Abandoned as a baby in his small Irish
hometown, he is left on the steps of a priests
living quarters and then placed into a foster
home. From an early age he fancies wearing dresses
and make up as casually as if he were putting on
socks. This infuriates his foster mother and sister.
He speaks his mind where ever he is without
fear of the consequences to follow, though is
perfectly willing to accept those consequences. He is not however willing
to accept efforts by the school that
would have him conform to being anything other
than who he is.
In the face of yet another tongue lashing
by his foster mother some years later he calmly tells her,
“Well, that’s it, I tried. I’m off
then,” and promptly sets out on his own. Without money or any real plan his newfound independence
proves to be rough. He sleeps in alleys, doorways
and anywhere someone will take him in. Set against
the violent clash between the government and
the IRA movement, his adventures land him in the
middle of extreme circumstances. And though he is
the victim of violence he never sees himself as a
victim.
Breakfast On Pluto is a poignant character study of a
gentle soul that takes what life dishes out with a
sweet refusal to let anyone or anything upset his
inner balance. He is frail yet strong, innocent
yet wise. He sets out in search of his
mother and in a strange twist of fate finds his
father instead. Directed by Neil Jordan (Interview
with the Vampire, The Crying Game) and
starring Cillian
Murphy and Liam
Neeson. Breakfast on Pluto felt a little disjointed at
times, but
is a story worth your time.
3 1/2 stars.
Brianna Austin is a freelance writer and publisher of www.briannaaustin.com
and www.tglife.com
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