Ordinary Decent Criminal
Encyclopedia
Ordinary Decent Criminal is a 2000 crime
/comedy
film
, directed
by Thaddeus O'Sullivan
, written by Gerard Stembridge
. The film is loosely based on the story of Martin Cahill
, a famous Irish
crime boss.
During his elaborate heists, he concentrates on the showmanship as much as the crime itself. He pulls off a daring art theft
, stealing several priceless paintings from Dublin's best art gallery, giving the authorities the slip. The police become more determined to catch him as time goes on, in particular Noel Quigley, an officer whose ambition to catch Lynch becomes an obsession. His actions also gain the ire of the IRA
.
Lynch finds himself in trouble when he is unable to sell a stolen Caravaggio painting, giving Quigley the opportunity he was waiting for to try and catch him. Lynch is forced to go on the run, with his popularity with the public at stake.
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
/comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Thaddeus O'Sullivan is an Irish director, cinematographer, writer.-Filmography:-Awards:*1990 won the Silver Rosa Camuna at the Bergamo Film Meeting for December Bride...
, written by Gerard Stembridge
Gerard Stembridge
Gerard "Gerry" Stembridge is an Irish writer, director and actor. He was educated at Castleknock College in Dublin. While attending University College Dublin, he was auditor of the Literary and Historical Society...
. The film is loosely based on the story of Martin Cahill
Martin Cahill
Martin "The General" Cahill was a prominent Irish criminal from Dublin.Cahill generated a certain notoriety in the media, which referred to him by the sobriquet "The General". The name was also used by the media in order to discuss Cahill's activities while avoiding legal problems with libel...
, a famous Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
crime boss.
Plot
Michael Lynch is one of Dublin's most notorious criminals. He has two wives, Christine and Lisa (they are also sisters), as well as many children. When he isn't spending time with his family, he is plotting heists with his gang. His actions make him an iconic figure, and he has a rapport with the general public despite being a criminal.During his elaborate heists, he concentrates on the showmanship as much as the crime itself. He pulls off a daring art theft
Art theft
Art theft is usually for the purpose of resale or for ransom . Stolen art is sometimes used by criminals to secure loans.. One must realize that only a small percentage of stolen art is recovered. Estimates range from 5 to 10%. This means that little is known about the scope and characteristics of...
, stealing several priceless paintings from Dublin's best art gallery, giving the authorities the slip. The police become more determined to catch him as time goes on, in particular Noel Quigley, an officer whose ambition to catch Lynch becomes an obsession. His actions also gain the ire of the IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
.
Lynch finds himself in trouble when he is unable to sell a stolen Caravaggio painting, giving Quigley the opportunity he was waiting for to try and catch him. Lynch is forced to go on the run, with his popularity with the public at stake.
Cast
- Kevin SpaceyKevin SpaceyKevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
as Michael Lynch - Linda FiorentinoLinda FiorentinoLinda Fiorentino is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the films Dogma, Vision Quest, Men in Black, After Hours and The Last Seduction.-Personal life:...
as Christine Lynch - Peter MullanPeter MullanPeter Mullan is a Scottish actor and film-maker who has been appearing in films since 1990.-Early life:Mullan, the sixth of eight children, was born in Peterhead in the northeast of Scotland, the son of Patricia, a nurse, and Charles Mullan, a lab technician who worked at Glasgow University. He...
as Stevie - Stephen DillaneStephen DillaneStephen J. Dillane is an English actor. He won a Tony Award for his lead performance in Tom Stoppard's play The Real Thing.-Early life:...
as Noel Quigley - Helen BaxendaleHelen BaxendaleHelen Victoria Baxendale is an English actress of stage and television, possibly best-known for her roles in Cold Feet, Friends and Cardiac Arrest.-Early life:...
as Lisa - David HaymanDavid HaymanDavid Hayman is a Scottish film and television actor and director, best known for his role as DCS Mike Walker in ITV drama Trial and Retribution. He also a prominent supporter of the SNP's call for Scottish independence....
as Tony Brady - Patrick MalahidePatrick MalahidePatrick Malahide is a British actor, who has played many major film and television roles.-Personal life:Malahide, real name Patrick Gerald Duggan, was born in Reading, Berkshire, the son of Irish immigrants, a cook mother and a school secretary father...
as Commissioner Daly - Gerard McSorleyGerard McSorleyGerard McSorley is a theatre, television and an Irish film actor.-Early life:He was born in Omagh, County Tyrone, and after attending a Christian Brothers school in his hometown he attended St. Columb's College in Derry. He then attended Queen's University, Belfast, where he was taught by among...
as Harrison - David KellyDavid Kelly (actor)David Kelly is an Irish actor, who has been in regular film and television work since the 1950s.-Acting career:Playing everything from Beckett to Shakespeare, he has appeared in Theatre, TV and film constantly since 1959...
as Father Grogan - Gary Lydon as Tom Rooney
- Paul Ronan as Billy Lynch
- Colin FarrellColin FarrellColin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....
as Alec - Vincent ReganVincent Regan-Career:Regan was born in Swansea on 16 May 1965, the son of Irish immigrants. As a youth he moved to Ireland with his parents, but returned to Britain and attended St Joseph's College, Ipswich in Suffolk....
as Shay Kirby - Tim Loane as Jerome Higgins
- Christoph WaltzChristoph WaltzChristoph Waltz is an Austrian-German actor. He received international acclaim for his portrayal of SS-Standartenführer Hans Landa in the 2009 film Inglourious Basterds, for which he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival and the BAFTA, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award and...
as Peter - Enda OatesEnda OatesEnda Oates , occasionally credited as Enda Oats, is an Irish stage, film, and television actor. He has received attention for his stagework, but is best known to Irish television audiences as the Reverend George Black in the long running series Glenroe for RTE, and as Barreller Casey in the sitcom...
as Brian - David Brady as Declan Brady
Soundtrack
- One Day At A Time - Damon AlbarnDamon AlbarnDamon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
And Robert Del NajaRobert Del NajaRobert Del Naja , also known as 3D, is an English artist and musician. Initially gaining notoriety as a graffiti artist and member of the Bristol collective known as "The Wild Bunch", Del Naja went on to become a founding member of the band Massive Attack where he is active to this day.-Music:Del... - Kevin On A Motorbike - Damon Albarn
- Superfinger - Lowfinger
- Motor Of Pearl - Bryan FerryBryan FerryBryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
- I Want You-Shack
- Gopher Mambo - Yma Sumac
- Chase After Gallery - Damon Albarn
- Eurodisco - Bis
- Bank Job - Damon Albarn
- Dying Isn't Easy - Damon Albarn
See also
- 2000 in film2000 in filmThe year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor ....
- Ordinary Decent Criminal (slang)Ordinary Decent Criminal (slang)Ordinary Decent Criminal is a term used by An Garda Siochana, the police force of the Republic of Ireland, to distinguish criminals engaging in illegal practices for financial or personal ends from those who have terrorist goals....
- The General (1998 film)The General (1998 film)The General is a British-Irish crime film directed by John Boorman about Dublin crime boss Martin Cahill, who pulled off several daring heists in the early 1980s, and attracted the attention of the Gardaí, PIRA, and UVF. The film was shot in 1997 and released in 1998...