The tag line from the off-beat cross-cultural romantic comedy Irish Jam, "the luck of the Irish just ran out," pretty much sums up the stereotypical, tongue in cheek humor, that makes up this outlandish, mildly entertaining, lightweight farce. Similar to the Disney studio's hit comedy, Snow Dogs, Comedian Eddie Griffin stars as a black hustler from L. A. who teaches the Irish a few lessons about brotherhood and acceptance.

When the quaint Irish village of Ballywood finds itself facing bankruptcy and foreclosure at the hands of a greedy English landlord, they decide to raffle off their one asset; the local Pub, Finnegan's, for a $5.00 entry fee in a poetry contest. They are shocked when they find that the winner, Jimmy Mc Devitt, (Eddie Griffin) is a black hustler from L.A. with a loud taste in clothing, and even a louder mouth.

Mc Devitt soon finds himself the target of the local bullies, the Mc Nulty Brothes, and involved in a romantic rivalry with a local bachelor, for the best looking woman in town, Maureen Duffy. (Anna Friel) Jimmy also finds himself becoming attached to Kathleen's mute daughter, Kathleen, (Tallulah Pitt-Brown) who hasn't spoken since her father died, protecting her from a hit and run by a drunk driver.

Just a Jimmy appears to be winning over a few of his toughest critics, the locals discover that his winning poem was plagiarized, and that he is in collusion with the English landlord to sell Ballywood to Japanese investors who want to turn the village into an Irish theme park. Maureen is left wondering whether Jimmy is the man of her dreams, or just a con artist of a different color.

Director/Screenwriter, John Eyres attempts to interweave some serious themes with the quirky humor in this film, as he not so subtly compares the racial discrimination that Jimmy faces in Ballywood, to that of the early Irish settlers in America. Jimmy also makes reference to American President Abraham Lincoln's lame promise to award 40 acres of land and a mule to freed slaves after the civil war, as an example of his country's record of unfulfilled promises to it's African American citizenry. However, the vast majority of film, is filled with Jimmy's attempts at clever one liners such as I always wanted to live on an Island. It ain't Jamaica, but I'm gonna ja-make the best of it," silly sexual innuendos, and freaky scenes in which Jimmy is relentlessly chased by his former obese fiance, (MoNique) in a wedding dress.

Griffin (Undercover Brother) does a reasonably good job in his role as a likable con-artist with a conscience, while most of the other characters in the film, such as the local bullies, village priest and greedy landlord are shamelessly stereotypical. Unfortunately, the romantic subplot between Jimmy and Maureen suffers from a total lack of chemistry between the two actors. Young Tallulah Pitt-Brown is the high point of the film, as she delivers a wonderfully affecting performance, without speaking hardly a word. Also on the plus side, the film features an interesting soundtrack that combines traditional Irish music with rap and R & B.

Overall, Irish Jam is a predictable, mildly entertaining romantic comedy that will appeal to those who enjoy adolescent humor. Were it not for the panoramic sweeping scenery of the jagged Irish coastline, and the quaint village, and Anna Friel's lovely Irish ballads, this film would be a near total loss. However, there are just enough mildly engaging moments, to make this film a worthwhile investment of 90 minutes.

My Rating: **1/2



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12