Strength and Honour

Director: Mark Mahon
Starring: Michael Madsen, Vinnie Jones, Patrick Bergin, Pat Shortt
Details: Ireland / 104mins (15A)

Corkonian Mark Mahon's Strength And Honour is a major let-down and although he's not entirely at fault for the disappointment, the debutante's formulaic script didn't do the project any favours even before a scene was shot in anger. Palooka Sean Kelleher (Madsen) retires from the ring at the behest of his dying wife (Norma Sheahen), but is forced to take up bare-knuckle boxing when faced with a financial crisis and a bill for his son Michael's (Luke Whelton) up and coming operation. Standing in his way is six-time champion Smasher O' Driscoll (Jones) and an itinerant community none too happy with Sean's inclusion in an exclusively Traveller sport. The cliche-ridden script - you know how this film will end before the opening credits are finished - didn't help matters, but it's Madsen that's the biggest surprise. His by-the-numbers performance, coupled with his inconsistent Irish accent, don't help his director's plight and looks like he's there on a favour, while Whelton does his best Ricky Schroder impression. There are moments of genuine decency in the film, however. Jones is fun as the snarling Smasher, and the opening bout is stylishly shot but, unfortunately, is also a warning for what's to come: Madsen, who has just accidentally killed his brother-in-law in said bout, doesn't show the emotion needed to carry the scene and this continues for the rest of the film.

Review by Gavin Burke :

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Your Reviews

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horrible - aiden carey

very very poor film terrible acting, accents were horrilbe and script was awful,
Review Published 27 February 2010

Star Rating:

Worse load of tripe and drisheen ever - Ellie83

Oh my god - why anyone would bother watching this movie mystifies me. The script is patchy and inconsitent and the acting is appauling. Unless you believe that Darby O'Gill lived with the little... MORE
Review Published 06 August 2008

Star Rating:

savage - fiona

brilliant film. saw it last week and goin again 2nite. cant wait 4 the dvd.
Review Published 15 January 2008

Star Rating:

would joey buckley learn to read and write - bbarrett

would joey buckley learn to read and write in proper english before posting stupid reviews on the internet. His stupid, childish, uneducated comments about this film are totally unrelated to the... MORE
Review Published 07 January 2008

Star Rating:

FABULOUS - Mary

We saw Strength & Honour twice and loved it even more the second time round. Yes, there were a few dodgy accents but most of the acting was superb. All in our theatre were fully engrossed in the... MORE
Review Published 14 December 2007

Star Rating:

The greatest story ever told. - Roger Melly

Or perhaps not
Review Published 07 December 2007

Star Rating:

A worldwide joke... - N. Kennedy

When I heard an Irish film was about to attract the admiration of a global audience I was intrigued and had to see for myself. One word sums up this film ....awful. The... MORE
Review Published 06 December 2007

Star Rating:

Very Good - Alan

A very good film if you can get over Vinnie Jones and Michael Madsen's bad attempts at Irish accents.A really good film that hugely benefits having Michael Madsen and Vinnie... MORE
Review Published 06 December 2007

Star Rating:

Biggest stinker of the year! - Mandy Barry

I tend to go and see everything in the pictures, but having just sat threw this garbage I may think again. Begoorah Oirish rubbish from start to finish. The kid must be the worst child actor in... MORE
Review Published 04 December 2007

Star Rating:

A LOAD OF B*****KS - Mick O'Sullivan

Worst film of the year. Completely unoriginal, must have taken 5 minutes to write. Ah Jaysus me wife has died and now the little fella is sick as well! Begorrah, I'll fight the tinkers and save me... MORE
Review Published 04 December 2007

Star Rating:

Awesome!!! - John Davis

I went to see Strength and Honour because it won Boston and then was getting one star reviews. After seeing it, I am wondering if there is an anti-Cork campaign going on. In the Irish Times review... MORE
Review Published 04 December 2007

Star Rating:

Irish movie - kissmeimirishnaslapper!

Read thru the other reviews already and first off "ireland of yesteryear" and rocky references - cannot believe that anyone using such shite cliches is in the same breath giving out about... MORE
Review Published 02 December 2007

Star Rating:

- Aidan McCarthy

I just came from 'Strength and Honour'. Reading some of the reviews before going into it, I thought it was going to be shocking. However, because of this, I was completely blown away. It was shot... MORE
Review Published 01 December 2007

Star Rating:

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE - Cormac Murphy

Unbelievably cliched 'boxing' film. Has been better made many times before. Story - terrible. Acting - awful. Film - embarassing. Is this the best that the Irish Film Industry can offer us? Spend... MORE
Review Published 30 November 2007

Star Rating:

Entertaining - fingersssss

Have to agree with some comments saying it was a bit cliche and used the old type formula that (eg rocky) had but i must say at the same it did work and i was entertained by it . Vinnie Jones... MORE
Review Published 29 November 2007

Star Rating:

CORKY NOT ROCKY! Boy - mlkghandi

This is full of corkionian rubbish ,, this should have been called Corky.. I can see the sequel now ! strenth and honour Corkey 2 .. eye of the celtic tiger.. listen will cork go an shite whit... MORE
Review Published 28 November 2007

Star Rating:

ABSOLUTE RUBBISH! - Jon Baxter

Saw this film last night - omg I can't believe that films like this are still being made!! The story is cliched beyond belief and Madsen needs to lose a lot of weight - a boxer? - Go see Rescue Dawn... MORE
Review Published 28 November 2007

Star Rating:

I LOVED IT! - shiv9mbs

I have been fortunate to see this film twice and absolutely loved it. One thing that Gavin Burke pointed out in his review which is incorrect is about Michael Madsen's 'Irish' accent. He makes no... MORE
Review Published 27 November 2007

Star Rating:

Strength and Honour - S Brody

I had the misfortune of seeing this film recently..What utter tripe!..You'd nearly forget that we live in a modern country..not this makey-upy Ireland of yesteryear (which never existed in the... MORE
Review Published 25 November 2007

Star Rating:

strength and honour - stacey baker

Deffinitely, one of the best Irish movies i've seen in a long time. Was lucky enough to be at the premiere, when the tickets went on sale. I went in there not expecting much to be honest... MORE
Review Published 23 November 2007

Star Rating:

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