Into The West (PG)

Director: Mike Newell
Starring: Gabriel Byrne, Ellen Barkin, Ciaran Fitzgerald,
Ireland/UK, 1992, 1 hour 37 minutes

A wonderful, whimsical mix of Irish myth and gritty realism, packed with surprising images of Ireland and its travelers. Papa Riley is a Traveler King who has turned his back on the road to bring up his two young boys in Dublin’s grim tower blocks. When Grandpa returns from his travels he brings fanciful tales, and, a beautiful white horse that they keep in their top floor flat. But then the boys are forced to set off westwards across Ireland with both the police and travelers in frantic pursuit. Thanks to remarkable performances from the boys and the ever-dependable Gabriel Byrne, this successfully weaves together Gypsy folklore and childhood dreams into an atmospheric cocktail that will capture the imagination of all ages.

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