Michael Fassbender and Liam Cunningham have joined together again as two of the leads in the upcoming Good Vibrations. The two actors notably faced off for twenty enthralling minutes in Steven McQueen’s Hunger, about the Irish hunger strikes of Bobby Sands. Also set to be filmed in Ireland, Good Vibrations will see husband and wife duo Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa test their relationship a second time. Their debut, Cherrybomb, premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in 2009, and allowed Rupert Grint (AKA Ron Weasley) to give a stiff middle-finger to any unsuspecting soul who was still unconvinced of whether the actor had already reached puberty. Filming is set to commence in August, with Richard Dormer expected to end up with the starring role.
Gist: Based on Belfast punk manager Terri Hooley, the film gets its name from the record label he founded, Good Vibrations Records. With details a bit slim at the moment, the film will likely take place in the 70’s and early 80’s, tracking the rise and bankruptcy of the label. Good Vibrations Records introduced a good chunk of the UK to a handful of Northern Irish punk bands, including The Undertones. Could end up as an Irish take on “24 Hour Party People”.
Worth Noting: The film will be released on Leyburn and D’Sa’s own film & music production company, Calderblinks. Perhaps this might give the pair a bit of firsthand experience with the subject matter to better inform their vision. Also, Fassbender is becoming increasingly busy, with this being his fifth role to be on course for release in 2012, suggesting that the increasingly popular actor might be the next Jude Law.
Do We Care?: Fassbender and Cunningham have certainly proven their chemistry, but there are too many holes left in the assembly to be certain of what direction or tone this film will take on – not least because the lead actor is unknown. Cherrybomb was a touch too schematic, and a film like this might benefit from a more complex sprawl, akin to the way Boogie Nights explored the ins and outs of a niche film industry. The supporting ensemble is now quite solid, suggesting that the stars may be aligning for a vibrant recreation of a little-known facet of Irish history.
