PeachHamBeach WARNING: SPOILERS ON THE EDGE is an interesting piece about teenage depression and suicidal behavior. It begins when Jonathan (Cillian Murphy) loses his father to alcoholism. You don't understand Jonathan at all when you first meet him. He comes off as callous, self-centered and unlikeable until he grabs the urn with his father's ashes and decides to drive himself, in a stolen convertible, off a cliff. Is it an abrupt decision, spur of the moment, or is it something Jonathan has been contemplating for years? The only alternative to jail time is to participate in a residential suicide program in Dublin, run by Dr. Figure (Stephen Rea) so Jonathan agrees to it, though he doesn't believe anyone has answers or solutions for him. As you get to know him, you realize that Jonathan himself doesn't understand fully why he's so depressed and suicidal. You learn that his mother died when he was ten, and that there is a history of depression in his family. He has a rocky relationship with his older brother Mikey, who is the only family he has left.In the treatment center, where patients are required to wear pajamas instead of street clothes (Jonathan is given an especially rib-tickling set!) Jonathan becomes close friends with two other suicidal teens Toby (Jonathan Jackson, whose Irish accent was very good IMO) who accidentally killed his brother in an accident, and the very disturbed Rachel (Tricia Vessey) whose creepy sexiness Jonathan can't help but feel drawn to, even when she is abusive to him. Though Dr. Figure coaxes a lot of revealing stuff out from Jonathan's mind, it is his relationships with Toby and Rachel that assist him in taking a look at his life, and lead him to become a person who cares about people instead of being so self-involved all the time.The beautiful, doe-eyed Murphy does another fantastic job vanishing into a character who hides his vulnerability behind a facade of sarcasm and toughness that Dr. Figure can see right through. Jackson gives a heartrending performance. Vessey is impressive too, lending a very "L.A., California" vibe to this otherwise quite Irish story. I'd like to see more of her work. I would have said that I might like further explanation about Jonathan's history of self-cutting (You don't see any scars, but he spends most of his screen time in long-sleeved pajamas, sweaters and coats) and about Rachel's fascination with human blood. There are two semi-sexual scenes that are so bizarre they defy description. But I guess the whole point is that these behaviors can't be categorized or explained neatly. Every case is individual, and the doctors never know if treatment will be effective.Bittersweet is the word that best describes the overall tone of this film. John Carney did great with direction, but also composed the original music score that enriches many scenes. The film ends on a fairly upbeat note, but there is a nagging worry about whether these young people will really be able to keep surviving.I liked it.

Claudio Carvalho After the death of his alcoholic father, Jonathan Breech (Cillian Murphy) steals the urn with his ashes from the house of his brother and drives a robbed car off a cliff to commit suicide. However her survives and accepts an alternative sentence of three months in therapy in a psychiatric hospital with a suicide group under the supervision of Dr. Figure (Stephen Rea). He befriends the disturbed Rachel Row (Tricia Vessey), who saw her mother dying in an accident, and Toby (Jonathan Jackson), who accidentally killed his brother in a car crash. During the treatment, the sarcastic Jonathan changes his behavior and sees the importance of being alive."On the Edge" explores an unusual theme - the behavior of persons that have survived a suicide attempt. However, the plot fails since it is pointless and the motives of the lead character to try to commit suicide are never clear: does he miss his alcoholic father, or is he simply a crazy disturbed young man? On the contrary, the motives of Rachel and Toby are very clear. The acting is great, with the exception of Stephen Rea, who has a weak performance in the role of a passive psychiatrist that does not seem to help his patients. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "A Beira da Loucura" ("On the Edge of the Madness")

hvn1231 I finished watching this movie for the second time today. I find it was dark. I have never seen a movie that explores the feelings that a person might have after surviving a suicide. It makes me sad to see that "Johnathan" and "Rachel" went through but at the same time it gives me a feeling that the movie was not quite finished. What will happen to these two characters as they live on after their friend past away? Johnathan Jackson performed really well with an Irish accent. Maybe the ending leaves you open to feel like "yeah whatever." The movie did give some advice, and one of it is like " a person who survives a suicide might never tell you how they feel." But I think they will tell that feeling to someone they really trust.

George Parker "On the Edge" is a somewhat flat flick which focuses on a suicidal young man and woman who meet in a mental institution and discover that living and loving may be their most difficult option. The film offers good performances, a solid premise, and little else. An okay Irish flick with unrealized potential for couch potatoes into drama. (C)