Make Mine a Stiff One
Tom Gaffney (John Lynch) and friends are tired of just making do and scraping by with what they can pick up and sell for a few bob so come up with a plan. The plan involves robbing a truck carrying a load of Viagra and then heading to Amsterdam to flog the gear. What none of them take in to account is that not all drugs are legal in Amsterdam and before they know it an American investigator, Cory Williams (Linda Hamilton) has shown up to find out what happened to the missing little blue tablets. What has happened is that Tom and his friend hide their stash down the Well of the Virgin Mary which is the same water source which provides the entire town.
I am going to keep this review of "Holy Water" to three things and the first of those is stereotypes, the broadest stereotypes going. We have the old man who sits in front of the TV with his cap on, the crafty one always looking for a way to make a quick bob or two, the old fashioned ideas of giving the misses a pat on the back side on the way to work and that will be alright for a few nights down the pub. I could go on because these are the biggest Irish stereotypes going, the sort of which who manage to drop at least one feck into every scene usually more and who watch "Ocean's Eleven" for tips on how to rob some thing.
The second thing is that "Holy Water" enjoys having some fun at the expense of Americans with plenty of comical swipes at them. We get the exasperation that American women must like a fancy lay if their men have to use little blue pills to the question "What's worse than England?" yes you guessed it America. All of which I have to say is done light heartedly but it makes a change to see America the butt of the jokes.
Of course there is the story and "Holy Water" is in the tradition of "Whisky Galore" and "Waking Ned" with the comedy of a group from a village trying to get one over on a big company and the investigators sent out to look in to matters. It is all pretty obvious and you can guess what the consequences are of hiding Viagra down a well which supplies the village with its water but it will make you smile. The humour and especially the dialogue is where it is at its best although seeing Tom Gaffney in a nun's habit is a humorous sight in itself let alone a scene later on which I just cant describe.
What this all boils down to is that "Holy Water" follows in a tradition of comedies featuring some villagers getting one over on a big business and officials. It isn't the sharpest of comedies but it will put a smile on your face.
