Strength And Honour Proves A Knockout At Boston Film Festival

Okay, so TToH weren’t impressed with Mark Mahon’s debut, but we don’t begrudge the Corkonian’s joy at the 23^rd Annual Boston Film Festival, held in September. Strength And Honour scooped Best Picture while Madsen (right, at the World Premiere at the Cork Opera House last Monday) picked up Best Actor. Mark: “This is a great honour. To win top awards at such a prestigious festival is surreal - competition was fierce this year with a large number of high profile titles competing. We’re absolutely ecstatic that Michael Madsen won for his superb lead performance and look forward to the theatrical release of ‘Strength and Honour’.”

For further information, you can log on to the film's website. You can also catch TToH’s review here.

Bare Knuckle Fighting? Near Chuckle Writing.

We have to admit that we’re not impressed with Mark Mahon’s (left) Strength And Honour, a boxing drama set around the illegal bare knuckle bouts that litter the back roads of Ireland. Mahon managed to scoop Michael Madsen and Vinnie Jones for the lead roles but can these pros help the script punch above its weight? A 2005 winner of Best Screenplay Unproduced award at the LA International Action On Film Ceremony, Strength And Honour is Mark’s first foray into directing...

What’s the story, Boss?

Madsen plays washed-up palooka Sean Kelleher, who, after the death of his wife and in need to raise some serious finance for an operation to save the same fate happening to his young son (Luke Whelton), takes up bare knuckle fighting. Standing in his way is six-time champion Smasher O’Driscoll (Vinnie Jones) and travellers who don’t take kindly to Sean’s inclusion in an exclusively itinerant-orientated sport. Patrick Bergin and Richard Chamberlain co-star.

Losing In Front Of Your Home Crowd
Wafer-thin, stereotypical characters and Madsen’s inconsistent accent, coupled with his by-the-number performance, don’t help the formulaic plotting. However, Jones, who looks like he’s having the time of his life, and Gail Fitzpatrick’s Mammy are the pick of the bunch. Mahon seems confident behind the camera too (the fight scenes are a joy), which augers well for the future.

Despite being down on his film, we’d like to wish Mark and Maron Pictures the best of luck with their next venture – an adaptation of Mahon’s graphic novel Freedom Within The Heart, an ambitious project that sees Brian Boru take on those pesky Vikings. But first, here’s a trailer for Strength And Honour.