The Disappearance of Finbar

The central character (Finbar), plus the theme, about people who disappear, is very original. Though the storyline is odd, nothing seems to be fantastical or out of place. The parts when

Finbar's friend travels look like a Lonely Planet episode without dialogue. This movie will linger in anyone's mind even if they find it a little boring. Specially after hearing the closing narration. I won't say what the message is . You have to see the movie.

A real oddity, this mixed bag of a film. The early establishing scenes are so ineptly handled, and so protracted, yet the film suddenly springs into life in the second half, when we get across to Finland. Here we have some stunning scenery and an interesting look at a part of the world that doesn't often appear on the cinema screen. Even here it falters occasionally, in that the main story is all but forgotten in what amounts to little more than a quirky travelogue. If the opening half had been a little more engaging, then the ensuing developments would have had far more power. As it stands, we are left with a film not devoid of charm. The humorous moments seem a little forced and not always successful, and the overall impression is of the amateurishness of the entire enterprise. Shame, because there was a lot of scope here.

this film was great, i saw it on television and can only imagine how wonderful the beautiful northern swedish scenery must have looked, and interesting tale of how people aren't really that different after all, and how you've got to get away from your normal surroundings and go out into the world and find yourself. top stuff

Dealing with the search for friendship, love, freedom and your own identity, this is surely the best film I know. Music, landscape and the characters build an unique atmosphere, that is mystic in a way, but most of all an expression of a longing and seeking mood. A film to find yourself! Or as Sue Clayton says, it is a film about the wanderer of Irish Legend and his chronist. And surely everyone is invited to share this wandering.

Did he jump or did he fall?

A movie said to be Irish-English-Swedish was enough to make me watch it when it was on TV, but I must say I'm disappointed. The movie starts out in Ireland, Finbar disappears, then half the movie goes by, and then suddenly Finbar decides to phone up his old friend Danny, telling him he's in Sweden. If the movie was half-interesting and believable in the beginning, after Danny goes to Sweden, it becomes decreasingly interesting and believable.

The scenery is really nice (even though I personally can't stand being in the north of Sweden because of all the snow and the freezing cold), but lovely nature pictures of it doesn't make up for the complete lack of anything resembling a proper plot. It's far too weak! Why did Danny go all that way and through all that trouble to search for Finbar, when Finbar was a completely selfish prat who no one in their right mind could really care about (let alone the movie audience!) - which we learn from the first 5 minutes of the film? The story's so full of plot holes it could compete with a Swiss cheese!

The only good thing about it, apart from the scenery pictures, is the Irish accent, and a chance to recognise some people who were in "Michael Collins", plus Lorraine Pilkington ("Monarch of the Glen"). That's about it. Sure, you can watch this movie if you've got nothing better to do, but you'd be better off watching something else.