Sadly Over-hyped

A Brilliant Conflict

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Oh, 'The Matchmaker'. Is there a more perfect film around?? If you're looking for high-brow entertainment,certainly, but if you want something fluffy to watch on a lonely afternoon then this is what you are seeking.Set for the most part in Ireland, 'The Matchmaker' follows an American city girl who is thrust into a rural setting when her boss, an American senator, sends her to Balinagragh (have no idea how to spell it!) in order to seek out his Irish roots. She accepts the mission, is thrust into the heart of an Irish matchmaking festival, meets a charming Irish rogue and falls in love with the inhabitants of the town. So far, so predictable. However this film is charming and comic; especially in its portrayal or rural/small town Irish life - the depictions are scarily realistic.Garofalo is in her prime in this role; both age-wise and in terms of her performance, as she is portraying a character who is still slightly cynical, but less bitchy and more likable than many of her previous characters. The supporting cast is great and provides the majority of the film's charm; Milo O'Shea particularly standing out as the local matchmaker.These factors, plus the fact that I'm a sucker for an Irish accent,make this film one of the most enjoyable of those i have on my shelves and is watched again and again.

I really don't understand why Janeanne Garofalo doesn't get more roles. She is a truly wonderful actress who owns the screen when she's on it. There is never anything forced about her performances. They always seem natural. Here, she plays Marcy Tizard, a spin doctor for a U.S. senator trying to get re-elected. Her job has become to track down his relatives from the small town in Ireland where his family emigrated from. This will help the senator secure the Irish vote in Chicago and win him the election. So off to Ireland she goes in an attempt to find his missing relatives. Of course, nothing is ever easy and Marcy finds herself smack dab in the middle of a match making festival. While fending off possible suitors, she becomes entwined in the lives of several colourful locals. Among them is of course, the local matchmaker (Milo O'Shea) who has taken to setting her up with Sean (David O'Hara), the local bartender and former journalist. The humour is warm and the characters are all well drawn out. Denis Leary has a small role as a colleague and resident ***hole. The film truly belongs to Garofalo as she is perfectly cast in the role of weary and cynical Marcy. Give it a shot. It's a near perfect match.

OK...so some may say The Matchmaker is a bit cheesy, but I completely disagree! If we take this movie for what it's meant to be -- a whimsical look at not only two different people getting to know each other, but two people from two entirely different cultures becoming entangled -- then you will fall as in love with this movie as I have! Not only was this story very sweet (I swear I've seen this movie at least 100 times), but, whist living in Ireland, I was blessed to have been able to visit the quiet village of Roundstone, where most of the movie was filmed. I tell you, the depiction of the Irish in this movie was highly accurate, and if you've never known an Irish person, or visited the country (the Republic of Ireland, not Northern Ireland), you might think the dialog much exaggerated. Trust me...it isn't.So, if you'd like to take a bit of a glimpse into the true nature of the lovely Irish people -- from their use of colorful language to their friendly demeanor -- or just want a bit of the 'craic,' I highly recommend this film. The only this I wished for was a soundtrack to the film, as there were some great songs!

This is a nice movie. Good humor and mystery.Unlike most movies, it does not try too hard to be dramatic or such. The Senator is not too much of a good or bad guy. The people seem real and don't get too mad or yell too much.Of course, like a good mystery, there are surprises at the end.The sex and violence are both very tame.Janeane Garofalo is wonderful; a nice, humorous person. A minor flaw is that she is just too nice; she does not seem to be the tough, driven political type she is supposed to be, but any lack of believability is more than made up for by how enjoyable the movie is.