Rory O'Shea Was Here is an affecting, deeply moving and very insightful take on the lives of 2 people with physical disabilities struggling to find themselves.

The story:

All is calm in the Carriagmore Residential Home, where lives go on just as how life should be in any residential home for the diabled. Essentially, individuality is discouraged. And while it may not be immediately apparent, but due to their disability the residents are subjected to various humiliating conditions - conditions such as being forced to watch cartoons which are totally age inappropriate, getting bathed by someone unfamiliar to them, forced to sit through boring concerts which may not suit their tastes, and forced to sit in their wheelchairs in the middle of bustling streets to ask for donations.

Michael Connolly (Steven Robertson), a young, wheelchair-bound man with cerebral palsy, was just one of the residents living in Carrigmore Home. Abandoned by his father since young, he had been living at the Home for most of his life. One of the only things made him stick out from the crowd in the Home was his inability to speak intelligibly.

As Michael had been living in this residental facility for as long as he could remember, he had long been immuned to such a restricted lifestyle. However, his communication difficulties had indeed been a huge source of frustration as very few people, even his caregivers, seldom understood what he was trying to say. At the Home, he resorted to using word cards, which took forever to relay his message across.

One fine day, the peace was disturbed by the arrival of the young, fiercely independent and rebellious Rory O'Shea (James McAvoy). Rory was inflicted with the condition known as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which has paralyzed his entire body from the neck down, apart from 2 fingers which were just good enough to help him navigate around in his electrical wheelchair.

Michael obviously saw Rory as a nuisance. However, when he realized that Rory was the only person who could understand what he was mumbling, he saw Rory in a different light and became friends with him, starting by helping him gel his hair, a task which the Home staff had ‘cruelly’ refused to do citing that they had “no time” to be doing things like that.

Eventually, while Rory was trouble for his independent ways, even pulling Michael into becoming his partner-in-crime, Michael soon became inspired by Rory. After Rory was rejected by a panel in his application for the Independent Living Scheme (for the disabled), Michael sent in his own application and got Rory to go live with him, on grounds that Rory was his interpreter.

In one of their defiant outings to a pub, Michael met a feisty girl by the name of Siobhan (Romola Garai), and was struck by her beauty and personality. When the lads realized that she was stuck in a dead-end job, they offered her a job of being their personal assistant to take care of their basic ADL (activities of daily living) needs. She took up the job, hence completing their lives as independent and ‘ordinary’ citizens of UK.

But was life going to be as romanticized as they had hoped for in a world that is or would even more emotionally and physically torturing ordeals come their way?

Review:

In the same spirit of Billy Elliot, Rory O’Shea carries a serious message in a down-to-earth, non-fluffy but lighthearted manner.

This movie has 2 titles, both of which have appeared within the movie’s dialogue, and were uttered by the charismatic Rory O’Shea. The first was when Michael questioned Rory how he could dance in a wheel chair in the middle of a pub dance floor, and Rory answered that the only thing that matters is that inside he is dancing. The second time was when the terminal nature of his condition finally caught up with Rory, where Rory told Michael that “Rory O’Shea was here”, implying that while his life would be cruelly cut short, he has nevertheless made a mark in this world.

Despite the title, Rory O’Shea Was Here really tells the story of Michael, how he found the courage and confidence to live life to his fullest potential despite his disability. However, Rory plays an important part of this journey of self-discovery as he was the one who, through his strong sense of individuality, encouraged Michael to test boundaries he never thought he could.

What I like about this movie is that it is not an entirely a “You can achieve anything as long as you believe in yourself” kind of movie, yet it is not depressing as well. What this movie has is a very down-to-earth exploration of these two young men who have been forced to live life different from other young men of their age. While guys in their 20s should be out there making friends, having fun, and exploring themselves as individuals, Rory and Michael were instead isolated from life outside of their disability, having their lives decided for them despite being intellectually able.

Rory was determined to pluck himself out of this situation. However, the way he did this made him seem too rebellious for his own good. Apart from leading Michael “astray” with his wild child manners, he even got himself into trouble with the law on purpose, then became extremely frustrated when the police decided to give him an easy time just because he was paralyzed. While many branded him as nothing but a trouble-maker who was not capable of holding any responsibility, one could easily feel the angst and that desperate search for an identity as he screamed “discrimination!” towards the police who dealt with him. He also boasted of having “more girlfriends than (Michael) had speech therapy sessions”, and tried to act tough when being picked on in a pub, showing a deep sense of insecurity about his disability and an uncertain future.

It soon became clear that Rory was not a rebellious by nature. He was simply a frustrated, ordinary human being trapped in a cycle of rejection and a very low sense of self-esteem.

An extremely painful part in the movie was the relationship between Rory and his father. Rory moved into a residential home on his own account as he felt that he would be a burden on his father, and every time his father looked at Rory you could sense that helplessness and guilt of not being able to do more for him.

The story of Siobhan, while taking up a very small part, has nevertheless added weight to the movie by presenting another challenge faced by the physically disabled without being too cliché. As Siobhan took care of the daily needs of Michael, including giving him showers and cleaning after him, Michael grew increasingly attracted to Siobhan, only to have his love rejected as Siobhan explained that she cannot choose who she loved and who she did not. As Rory had grown increasingly disillusioned by his life by then, he also very bluntly reminded Michael that “parakeets don’t mate with armadillos”. When faced with the very natural feeling of romantic love, these 2 young men were forced to accept the fact that they would probably never be able to find someone to love, and even if they did, would never be able to satisfy them as normal men would.

The movie ended on an uplifting note. However, it just makes me realize that there is still much left to be done for people with special needs, not only in Singapore but even around the world. How do we give them their due dignity? How do we make life easier on them? Being in the social work line for almost 2 years now, I realize it’s never an easy answer…

Acting

Michael played by Robert Stevenson

Robert Stevenson is not a common face you’d see in the movies or in the telly. The only one other time I saw him was in Joyeux Noël but even in there it was a really small role. In fact, Rory O’Shea Was Here is his first leading role in a movie. And he did a wonderful job with it.

Despite having a twisted body and stiff jaws which impede his speech in the movie, Robert still manages to convey a whole range of emotions effectively. I felt so much for his character that it was heartbreaking. To me, Robert’s character’s journey may be likened to a teenager’s coming of age, as for the first time in years of being confined in the Home, he finally embarks on a quest to find himself as an individual, while facing various obstacles along the way.

While I cannot find much information on the making of this movie, I believe Robert did some very indepth research on cerebral palsy before taking on the role which to me is commendable and the results were impressive! His portrayal of a person with cerebral palsy was brilliant job done. This actor should be given more recognition than he has right now! Read the part on “Accuracy?” for more.

Rory played by James McAvoy

It almost seems like the role of Rory was made for James McAvoy. Despite being unable to move every part of his body except for his face, James also conveys a wealth of emotions effectively and it wasn’t hard to find that angst and pain behind a façade of rebelliousness. It was extremely heart-wrenching to watch his life waste away when he should have been in his prime and exploring so much more than he could.

Ever since The Chronicles of Narnia, James (who played Mr Tumus, the Faun) has become increasingly sought after as a character actor in some really good movies recently. Case in point – his leading role in The Last King of Scotland. While Forest Whitaker’s interpretation of Idi Amin took pretty much all of the limelight, James’ role as the naïve doctor who unwittingly gets drawn into the brutality of his rule was almost equally as outstanding. A very promising young actor who seems set to become the next Scotsman to claim his place in Hollywood.

In fact, new projects of James includes Becoming Jane with Anne Hathaway about Jane Austen’s life before she gained fame. He also has a yet-to-be-released movie called Penelope with Christina Ricci which, judging from the trailer, looks like an interesting and quirky fairy-tale set in modern times. I may actually want to watch that one.

Siobhan played by Romola Garai

This girl has very interesting names, both on-screen and off!

I first saw Romola Garai as a wide-eyed teenager who discovered her passion for expressing herself through dancing in Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights, opposite the delectable Diego Luna. Then I later saw her in Nicholas Nickleby in a supporting role of the title character’s shy and vulnerable younger sister.

As such, it’s really interesting to see Romola take on the role of an aimless and attractive young woman who finds herself trapped in a whirlpool of emotions as she cares for the 2 young men. A versatile and talented young actress who is not as emaciated like many other actresses these days, which is wonderful and a rarity. I look forward to seeing more of her.

Accuracy?

I do not work directly with people with physical disabilities. However, in my line of work I do get into contact with professionals who do work with this group of people. In fact, in a recent workshop by a speech pathologist I watched videos of therapy sessions with people with cerebral palsy and had to analyze the reasons behind the way they spoke and the way they flexed their bodies to unnatural positions.

In judging by whatever I have seen so far, Steven Robertson has nailed the characteristics of a person with cerebral palsy very well.

As for the plight and discrimination facing people with special needs? Well, I can’t speak for the situation in UK. However, there are many similarities which I can easily spot between the UK and Singapore, one of which is in the sense of how these people are often viewed as incapable of making decisions of their own, and how many of these people with special needs have come to believe in that in a way of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Alternate ending

** WARNING: This portion contains spoilers which you may or may not want to know so read at your own risk

I much prefer the alternate ending on the DVD.

In the original ending, Michael is seen moving out into the crowd, where the camera pans to show Michael lost in a sea of people on the streets, indicating how his experience with Rory had enabled him to face the world with confidence and esteem.

However, in the alternate ending, Michael is not only seen on the streets on his own, he is also seen taking classes in law at a University, and had even built a bond with Rory’s father, who had grown to take Rory as his own son. The very end showed Michael playing the same games Rory used to play with the kids in the neighbourhood, completely showing the transformation that Michael had undergone since he met Rory O’Shea.

Much much more inspiring than the original ending.

Verdict?

I give it 4 ½ out of 5 stars. ½ star taken away for one flaw as discussed below.

Just for the sake of sappiness?

** WARNING: This portion contains nothing but spoilers so highlight it if you want to read it

There were some criticisms over the net about Rory’s demise which many felt was sudden and without warning, hence bringing the movie down to the level of an ordinary tearjerker.

(Highlight from here)Actually, warning signs were peppered around the movie. Problem is, they were too few of them. However, here were some:

- Rory, in his self-introductory speech to the residents, announced that he has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This condition is known to be terminal, and sufferers rarely survive beyond the age of 30.
- In ‘marvelling’ at the dreadfulness of the Home, Rory mutters to himself, “Well, it’s only a temporary arrangement”. Although this could also mean that he only planned to stay at the Home until he successfully applied for the “Independent Living Scheme”.
- Rory was quite upset when his father had come to wish him a happy birthday, leaving him a card that celebrated his 21st birthday. Rory’s father also felt it was an awkward moment.
- When in a bid to go after Michael who had gone out in the rain, Rory looked hesitant as he watched the downpour before bravely going out under the rain himself. This was in contrast to an earlier scene, where he gamely gone out in the heavy rain to have fun. Rory contracted pneumonia due to his already weakened lung and heart muscles, and passed on soon after. Hence, it seemed that he had known about his deteriorating health condition by this time. (Highlight ends here)

I suppose one of the mistakes the writers made with this movie is that they probably assumed that the viewers were aware of the condition and its prognosis. But then again, if this movie was meant to shed light on the plight of people with physical disabilities such as theirs, then they should not have assumed in the first place. One of the flaws in the movie.

Trivia 1

I went out searching for this movie but had failed to find it in all major movie outlets around Singapore. I finally turned to HMV. However, after a check on his computer, the staff at HMV told me that Rory O’Shea Was Here did not make it past the Singapore Censorship Board.

My response: WHAT????

There is no sex, no nudity, no violence in this movie. Sure, there are some coarse language but heck, 99% of all PG films have some form of coarse language. In fact, Billy Elliot, that movie about the boy and his dream of being a dancer, had more F-words in one single sentence than this movie. And in fact, as I have been trying to say in the review, this movie very accurately portrays people with physical disabilities in a positive light. It is in no way degrading or disrespectful but rather is a celebration of life even for the less fortunate.

This same problem happened when I was looking for The Chumscrubbers. Now, for The Chumscrubbers, I think the reason why it did not pass the SCB was because it had teenagers taking drugs and selling them and kidnapping other kids. But to me that still doesn’t warrant such treatment because it essentially explores the adolescent time of storm and stress, and how adults can be too isolated from such powerful feelings. And that’s all it has. No sex, no nudity, and probably the only violence come in the form of a teenage scuffle. And hey, come on, Fight Club had more goriness than that and I still see them on sale.

Trivia 2:

The movie was set in Dublin, Ireland. However, James McAvoy and Steven Robertson are both Scottish, while Romola Garai is a Londoner.

What is…?

The explanations below are taken from Wikipedia.org

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) (also known as muscular dystrophy - Duchenne type) is an eventually fatal disorder that is characterized by rapidly progressive muscle weakness and atrophy of muscle tissue. DMD is the most common form of muscular dystrophy. There is no available cure at this time.

DMD affects young males due to its X-linked recessive inheritance pattern. Onset of symptoms usually occurs before the sixth year of life and begins with loss of endurance and strength in the legs and pelvis, eventually progressing to include the musculature within the entire body.
Two-thirds of DMD incidences are inherited from the mother, while the remaining one-third are caused by mutations in the genes of the egg or embryo.

DMD is named after the French neurologist Guillaume Benjamin Amand Duchenne (1806-1875), who first described the disease in the 1860s. It is caused by mutations in the gene which encodes dystrophin, an essential cell membrane protein in muscle cells. (Click here for more)

Cerebral palsy (CP) is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious diseases that cause physical disability in human development.

The incidence in developed countries is approximately 2.12–2.45 per 1000 live births. Incidence has not declined over the last 60 years despite medical advances (such as electro-fetal monitoring) because these advances allow extremely low birth weight and premature babies to survive. Cerebral refers to the affected area of the brain, the cerebrum (however the centres have not been perfectly localised and the disease most likely involves connections between the cortex and other parts of the brain such as the cerebellum) and palsy refers to disorder of movement. CP is caused by damage to the motor control centers of the young developing brain and can occur during pregnancy (about 75 percent), during childbirth (about 5 percent) or after birth (about 15 percent) up to about age three. Eighty percent of causes are unknown; for the small number where cause is known this can include infection, malnutrition, and/or head trauma in very early childhood.

It is a non-progressive disorder, meaning the brain damage does not worsen, but secondary orthopedic deformities are common. There is no known cure for CP. Medical intervention is limited to the treatment and prevention of complications possible from CP's consequences. (Click here for more)