Nagi4 --SPOILER ALERT--- I was a bit disappointed with this film as it is the work of John Boorman. The acting is played out nicely and the way the film flows is quite OK. But still my expectations were higher.It's one of those films that has a better synopsis than the film itself is. I had the feeling that Boorman can't decide what this film is.Nevertheless his professional touch in the films visual world is well handled and the turning points that we find out of the twin brother are quite unique.But just somehow the way the story line ends, is a bit like an episode of Emmerdale.It has something to do with the balance of the film. The beginning scene with the main character sitting in the car and being introduced via telephone calls is so superb as a start, you start to except more.But after this scene the world of the main character is cliché filled and the characters around him feel like paper. They don't breathe as human beings as the main characters role does.Another thing is that you have unbalanced roles inside the film. It seems like some of the actors are acting in a different movie than Gleeson's main character.Also the whole hospital sequence disturbed me a lot and I didn't believe it for a second.Not a must, but if you need a well done no-brainer, then it suits your needs.

pyrocitor Weaving in philosophical quandaries of doppelganger definitions of self with taut suspense and scathing social commentary, writer/director John Boorman's latest film dripped with promise. And while this may have been a promise superseded by the film's overambitious reach, The Tiger's Tail proves an entertaining amalgamation, despite the frequent creative misfires. Boasting an intriguing premise, the film is at its strongest when dealing with the central plot thread of a wealthy Irish businessman (Gleeson) having his comfortable life usurped by his violently unpredictable twin (also Gleeson), falling into destitution in the process. This effective, almost Hitchcockian thriller toying with notions of doppelgangers, sense of self and definition of identity makes for a sturdy start, which sadly ends all too soon, falling short of the taut suspense piece it could have been. After this central storyline has run its course, the film begins to waver, jerking around with contrived plot twists and becoming somewhat of a confused muddle before culminating in a genuinely unorthodox if unsatisfying ending. Imbalance is the word of choice as the film's tone and plot flip-flop throughout, stuffing in as much social critique into the narrative as possible and slathering everything on rather thickly, from the central theme of the rich/poor divide (though whether Ireland's is truly the most dramatically so in all of Europe, as the film states is questionable) to the soaring crescendo of dramatic music, while underplaying the development of other intriguing plot threads (O'Leary seems oddly unsurprised by the unnerving discovery of his secret sordid past) to underwhelming effect. However, director Boorman excels in his less than flattering, darkly satirical depiction of contemporary Dublin: indeed "a land Joyce would hardly recognize" and a far cry from the country's usual romanticized cinematic portrayals. Boorman's Dublin is a rank, filthy place more akin to the worst days of New York, filled with poverty, destitution, endless traffic, street-fights and vomiting teens - a city who would whimsically release their entire supply of non-violent mental patients onto the street to cut costs, in one of the film's most staggering lapses in judgement. An ode to the city's culture this isn't, but an intriguing cinematic cry for change it is. But in the end, despite the noticeably flawed delivery, the film proves a consistently entertaining watch, never slowing down enough to become anything less than enjoyable, if slightly frantically so. Brendan Gleeson shines in a much needed starring role, wonderfully essaying both the grimly successful businessman and his shady identical twin with convincing distinctions and charisma to spare. However, the horrifyingly miscast Kim Cattrall easily proves the film's weakest point, her performance as consistently unconvincing as her shriekingly insulting attempt at an Irish accent. From her wobbling between unsatisfied wife to vacant shopaholic, to her never once reacting to the events surrounding her in a convincing fashion, coming as low as succumbing to attempted rape with sordid glee, Cattrall's performance and character scream of every shade of wrong. Briain Gleeson, real life son of star Brendan is an endearing and amusing presence as the protagonist's communist enthusiast son, even if he lacks the necessary exposition to jump from being wryly cynical to melodramatically disenchanted with life. Ciarán Hinds is a charming addition as a well meaning priest, and Sinéad Cusack does her best to keep herself from veering over the top in a laughably poorly written role as the mysterious family member connected to both O'Leary and his dark counterpart. However imbalanced and overambitious the film may be, overlooking character and narrative development for over-obvious social critique, The Tiger's Tail remains a uniquely entertaining anomaly in spite of itself, anchored by a well deserved star turn by Gleeson. While hardly one of the strongest pieces of Irish cinema to emerge of late, the film remains an enjoyable and intriguing watch for those willing to side-step its frequently flawed delivery. -6/10

David O'Brien John Boorman is a mystery to me. He is responsible for great Irish films such as 'The General', fabulous fantasy 'Excalibur', wartime drama 'Hope & Glory' and the masterpiece 'Deliverance'. And then there is this piece of junk....I cannot countenance how he came to produce this...Brendan Gleeson plays Liam O'Leary, a successful businessman. He starts seeing his double at various locations. He is unhappily married to Kim Cattrall and has a son who has Communist views. His son is played by his biological son Briain. Kim Cattrall's Irish accent wasn't too bad I suppose. It's a pity her wooden acting was the same as usual. On the evidence of Gleeson Jnr's acting here, he has a big career ahead of him...stacking shelves. To cut a long story short, the doppelganger succeeds in infiltrating his life and takes over from him, successfully convincing his wife and son that the real Liam is in fact a fake. There are a few ridiculous ideas in this film - Kim Cattrall can't tell her husband apart from his twin brother, her son cannot spot the difference either except that his father is 'acting strangely'. The last straw is when we are expected to accept that Sinead Cusask (age 60) is Brendan Gleeson's mother (age 52). At this point, I found the whole thing such a ridiculous film and so disrespectful of the viewer that I wanted to switch off. However, I endured to the end and it got no better. The main reason I watched it in the first place was because if was filmed in Ireland very close to where I work and I wanted to see those locations on screen. They looked very nice indeed - it's a pity that the dog of a script and the outrageous plot weren't up to scratch.

rgedgar This is the very first time I have made a comment on a movie. If this superb production had received the excellent reviews that it so richly deserves then I would not have bothered. I can not recall the last time I was so engrossed by a story so well told. Each of the characters become real people encouraged by by a script which appears so simple and natural but yet allows all the superb players to add depth, feeling and emotion to the flawed yet heroic individuals who inhabit this tale. After watching this I felt as if I had just finished reading a novel ( a medium which usually allows greater empathy with well drawn characters). I found that the 'crowd' scenes both extremely funny and yet deeply poignant. Each extra has an 'over the top' tom an jerry role to play yet each character is a parody of real people in real situations that are played out on the towns and cities of Ireland every night of the week. As W.B Yeats said 'A Terrible beauty is born'. As you may have guessed I am Irish .. I could recognise the character of Ireland in this drama. The strenghs, weaknesses and joy of our nation are evident in this production. I presume John Boreman is an American. I salute him for capturing the soul of our nation and not once mention little green men with a crock of gold. Well done.