Set in an unnamed town somewhere in Offaly, Eden has that claustrophobic small-town vibe that we've seen before, but Declan Recks, shooting a Eugene O'Brien script adapted from his own play, doesn't let it be the first, last and everything of the story - he uses it as a jump-off point to explore a marriage that's falling apart. Billy (Kelly) and Breda (Walsh) Farrell are approaching their 10th wedding anniversary, but their smiling public facade hides the fact that the relationship is falling apart. O'Briens story takes its time telling us why: Billy is impotent and won't talk about it with his wife and she feels neglected and ignored as a result. What follows is an exploration of character - strike that, real people in a real situation. Due to an unusual distribution deal, Eden was actually screened on television (Paddy's Day) before it was granted a release and some detractors might suggest that it should have stayed there; the look of the film brings to mind the recent series Pure Mule (to which Recks and O'Brien contributed). Although it might look like TV, Eden's strength is in depth and embedded in character - its slow-burning plot keeps the viewer guessing how it will all turn out and that, in essence, is great storytelling. Walsh deservedly won Best Actress at the Tribeca Film Festival for her portrayal of Eileen, but Aidan Kelly must get a nod, too; where Walsh has more room to manoeuvre, Kelly, with the limited confines drawn by Billy's emotionally stunted characterisation, does a fine and subtle job. The ending is worth waiting for, too.
