Eden (2016) Review - A film by Robbie Walsh

hey what's the star Yours Truly Phil here welcome back to philb film reviews hope you're keeping well tonight I'm going to be talking about the 2016 film Eden this is an Irish drama film written directed and produced by my favorite Irish director and just one of my favorite directors in General Robbie Walsh this film is about homelessness in Ireland the film follows a character of Adam brilliantly played by Johnny Elliot and Adam lives under a slide in a playground he's lost his job and was forcefully taken out of his house 14 months ago he's lost his family his money and he's currently his address is God's green earth so the film follows in the day in the life of Adam who he meets where he goes the situations he finds himself in let's get into the positives this film has incredible music the music is a member of the cast and the star of the film uh the music was done by Andrew man and it is incredible absolute compliment to every scene the film is beautifully framed there's incredible long wide shots camera placed in the middle an upward view of a hill a horizon and the sun shining big blue sky and little silhouette of Adam making his way across almost like a shadow just drifting by no Direction you know no nothing driving it just just going through the motions so as I say we follow Adam as he uh starts his starts his day he has to uh clean up with a local stream his hair and face then he he just makes his way um he has no agenda zero Direction um he's surviving he's not living he's um scrunching for food any cigarette buts he may find he collects uh and comes across a football finds himself running around having a bit of crack laughing to himself scoring a goal celebrating but there's no one around but him it's just his mind desperately needing stimulation through the utter loneliness the utter isolation the the mental and physical fatigue of having to sleep rough every night never known where your next meal or your next clean glass of water or your next shower is coming from it's a man desperately trying to keep his psyche his physical and emotional psyche from shattering cuz he's on the brink so even a little dog mly sees he puts it on his head pretends to be uh you shall not pass what's his face from The Lord of the Rings just something to entertain himself really just some slight form of fulfillment uh to help pass the minutes and hours of this long uous day that he's and we learn later on the film that he's been doing for 14 months rinse repeat rinse repeat he comes across a pop in one of the scenes uh a gorgeous little dog that he plays Fetch with and he gives it a cuddle and a scratch and he's like oh what why are you so happy huh why you wagging your tail huh what's your secret tell me your secret to why you're so happy and it's absolutely heartbreaking dy's just so trailed to have a cute little pup uh to to have a moment with to share with to play with I mean the pup feels no judgment has no biased against him the pup takes him for who he is what you see is watch you get no judgment the pup accepts him completely plays with him plays fetch runs with him and it's a beautiful scene uh between the two it really is and then we're following him still making his way to the town incredible silhouette shots uh long shots with the music sometimes it's silent for two or three minutes at a time just close-ups on Adam's expressions or lack thereof is his I don't mean I've of course not lack there ra is in he's just completely uh defeated and you really believe like you're watching a true um true to life uh film he really it's really a sight to behold and uh hats off to Johnny Elliot for uh putting in a serious shift as Adam in this film and Robbie's camera work and the shots and the music just the first 40 minutes or so is just us and Adam and this incredible music and just getting to know the soft nice Gentle Spirit of Adam Adam doesn't drink he's not he's not begging for alcohol he's not begging for for drugs I mean in one of the scenes he says um I'm not a junkie I'm just hungry you know which I thought was an incredible incredible line he's at a bus stop and he has um a paper cup and he he walks past the lady and uh she just completely sidesteps him and pretends like he doesn't exist doesn't say no of no change or he goes and he just he speaks to her he doesn't abuse her he doesn't scream at her he just says excuse me uh you don't have to give me money if you don't want to but I do exist and she's like well you don't exist to me so he says just again a gentle soul he just he needs to communicate he needs to he says I wasn't born in these bushes I wasn't raised in these trees I had a family I had a house I had I had a job you know and then he says I'm not a junkie I'm just hungry and he walks off on his way and then he's sitting and he's uh trying to get some some change and we meet the character of uh Claire who's played by um Sarah Carol and she standing down this kind of back alley in in swords where he's sitting begging and he's like what are you doing around here I mean you know you're gorgeous girl well dressed I mean why would you want to be hanging around here and she she um advised him that she's a prostitute and she's she's waiting for her client and for him to off cuz you know she's meeting a client and she doesn't want him hanging around so their first encounter is brief but he just he's stunned that a beautiful girl like this finds herself in a position to sell to sell herself uh for money so the try the the back and forth is is brief Sarah Carl is an incredible actress really an incredible actress uh as we've seen in uh the letters like stunning and uh there there interaction is brief but um Adam Den he's he's having a cigarette by the car by by a taxi and uh then Robbie Walsh uh the man himself comes in he plays the taxi driver and he comes out and he speaks to Adam and he does what nobody does to Adam speaks to him like a human being says to him how did you get in this situation how are you coping I mean how are you how are you you know and then he he claims to him that he's been in the same position and that he got lucky and he he was saved and he was managed to make a life for himself so and and a really natural back and forth between Robbie's character this taxi driver and Adam that Adam is absolutely it's look of relief in his face to be able to speak to someone who a is not trying to rob him trying to stab him with a syringe which we see in the scene as well in the film it's terrifying uh by the way um some Posh aole gives Adam a lad of grief and condescends to him like all to hell and then he walks around the corner he's like oh here's another homeless guy and then he goes what did you say what and he gets a syringe and he goes I can make you sick and then he it's scary how real it is man and he and he threatens him with a do you want the virus do you want the virus and this Posh he's like oh no no leave us alone I'm not saying that he got what he deserved for speaking to the Adam like that but you know what you don't don't don't N/A insult complete strangers just because you're an keep your opinions to yourself and and the F like the uh junky in the film sticks sticks his misses in the arm with the with the syringe it unbelievable man and this is the type of this is the type of environment that Adam's living in has this crazy down the down the other end of where he where he begs and he can't hang around for fear of this lunatic stabbing him and then he has uh upper class Posh Pricks condescending to him and giving him and then he has people saying saying he doesn't exist and then so speaking to Robbie W's character was a major BR the fresh air and he gave him a couple of quid uh to help him along uh with his um with his travels So Adam makes his way down to swords the film is set in swords Village and uh he sees one of his Pals under the bridge asleep so then he wakes up he's like oh what's going on he's like oh just asleep here and he gets out of the sleeping bag and he has no trousers on and Adam's like what what's going on I think your trousers are gone down the river a light little moment of Comedy I think they're gone down the river path he's like I don't know where my trousers are and Adam who got some trousers earlier uh he found them amongst in the woods and he kept them as a kind of he might need them and he takes the trousers gives them to his pal I mean it just shows the Adam's character is caring and he's decent even when he hasn't a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out he gives him the trousers you know I mean when when a person has nothing and still willing to give I mean that's the true meaning of humanity in my eyes you know and it's incredible and he shares this gives him a couple of quid says get a cup of tea you know help each other help me help you you know and then uh he makes his way um along and he he notices uh he notices the uh girl from earlier uh Claire Sarah Carol's character and she's sitting there crying and he's like what's the problem and she's like I've after to getting robbed and he's like what yeah one of her tricks after to robbing her money uh and she's sitting there and she's like you know I don't choose to do this I that money was going to be for my daughter's birthday I I just wanted to bring her to McDonald's and get her happy meal I mean now I haven't even got 20 quid on me to do it I mean just showing that no matter who you are or what you look like you know don't people's circumstances can be really up and don't judge you know get to know someone speak to someone on a human level don't don't talk up or down to anyone and and that's why you was so shocked earlier why why would this person choose this lifestyle cuz she wants money for her child she hasn't been allowed to see her child and now some robs her and she can't so Adam as you probably guessed gives her the few quid that the taxi driver gave her give your daughter a nice birthday stop crying you're going to be all right absolutely incredible scene again absolute just really incredible scene honest to God and then he makes he bumps into another girl who drops something and uh he picks it up and he goes you you drop you drop something there love and she's like oh my God thank you so much I can't believe that's after happening oh my God thank you thank you it's a big water Cashman and he hands it back to her I mean Karma I mean if you believe in karma you know if you do good things um you know they'll at least eventually they'll come back on you and this is where I I assume Adam's head is at you know I mean when you're at the bottom don't don't don't don't don't around you know do do the best you can to do the right thing to to keep the Universe on your side to the best that I can even though in his situation it's been roly lately you know so he gives her back the cash which obviously could have set him up somewhere to stay and somewhere to eat and and you know he did the right thing and she said let me buy you a cup of coffee I can't thank you enough uh for giving that money you have no idea how important that money was to me and if IID lost it how how much I would have been in and he goes don't worry about it it's Grand it's fine I'll just head off and she goes no no come and get got a cup of coffee with me and I want to say thank you for giving me back the money and she keeps saying thank you all you have no idea how important it is me and I so they're having a beautiful conversation over a cup of coffee and a cafe and swords and uh they're chatting back and forth about boxing and they're they're they're they're enjoying each other's company they have respect for each other um it's a beautiful scene they and they're talking and uh talking about boxing talking about her job and she says that the money was to um to buy a to to bring a girl a little girl that she works with uh a disadvantaged girl to meet her mother and that money was going to pay for the pay for the flights so I I'm I'm CH I'm like choked to bits watching this right and it's just it's just such a just do good everybody do the best you can with what you can you know don't don't strive for thing wanting things you you think you need just be thankful for what you have okay just be thankful for what you have cuz even in Adam situation this film he hasn't a thing his his he he's in he's he's he's he's in pieces and this interaction this bit of warmth the cup of coffee and the conversation with this girl is everything that Adam needed and Adam says you know what I don't know your name and she gos my name is Eve oh my name's Adam theyve meth in Adam's Garden of Eden he was meant he was meant to meet this lady he really was that was his he was meant the stars were align for him to to make this friend and that's what I believe that the story is that's what the story means to for me that he found we found salvation true someone's humanity and someone's kindness and someone who had the same kind of mindset as him the money was not for her it was for a little girl to meet and visit her mother abroad her Adam and Eve they got together they're back and forth absolutely everything in common and a friendship was certainly bden so they make their way out uh he walks her to her home and she says here take my gloves he goes no no you've you've done enough for me it's fine it's fine now take my gloves they're lovely and warm and you can give them back to me tomorrow so she hands them the gloves and says yeah just borrow them you can give them back to me tomorrow and Adam is trailed he has a friend and it's a very powerful thing uh having someone um come out of nowhere in your hour of need and be your Shining Light it's a really beautiful scene and he he heads back to the to where he staying to the place ground it's night time now and um the gates locked at the playground large Gates they're locked so he tries to scramble over them but ends up injuring his ankle in the process and it's cold it's really cold and um Adam gets as sleeping bag and sleeps on the outer side of the Rails uh without the cover of the slide and as I'm watching this I'm like oh N/A and lo and behold um the next morning the a woman walks by the playground area and finds him uh finds him dead finds him dead on the on theground and he has uh Eevees gloves in his hand um he didn't he didn't wear them he didn't want to he didn't want to wear them and um messed them up he just wanted to hold on to them uh so he'd be able to drop them back to her the next day but obviously that didn't come to be so in conclusion Adam found Eve in Eden and he experienced Bliss if only for a short time thanks for watching guys