Today is the big day, Mattress Men is finally available for Irish audiences to see after its successful trips to HotDocs in Toronto and to Sheffield DocFest. Its on today and all this week in the Lighthouse, the IFI, The Eye Cinema Galway, movies at Dundrum and in Swords and coming to other cinemas after that. Its also available on demand from Virgin media and from Volta.ie
I’m really hoping people get out and support the film as I’m ridiculously proud to have cut and to be associated with it. I think its really a special film, a unique picture of a Dublin rarely seen and an endearing tale of friendship that’ll make you laugh and make you cry. Colm Quinn, the films director has a unique skill at building a level of trust and empathy which is reflected back in the honesty and openness with which the films subjects Mick and Paul approached their story. It was a privilege to work with Colm on the film, one of the best and most challenging creative working experiences I’ve ever had. Honestly, I hope I’ll get to work on films as good as this again but if I don’t I’ll be happy to know that this film is out there.
Now of course I have a slightly biased opinion on this, I did spend six months cutting the film and have a lot emotional capital invested in its success. Not everyone is going to like it, that is true but thus far the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Lets take a look…
★★★★ The Irish Times
“A very humane story about poverty, ambition and everyday struggle. Mattress Men feels like an essential snapshot of an ignored urban sector. Buy, buy, buy before all the tickets are gone!” – Donald Clarke
★★★★ Entertainment.ie
“A charming and uplifting documentary, this one is a real surprise. Bursting with heart, this touching and funny story will warm the cockles.” – Gavin Burke
★★★★ Scannain.com
“Mattress Men is a terrific and ultimately quite moving film that shows how austerity eats at the soul of people who we don’t generally see on screen. The direction by Quinn is light and the editing brings a fluid story together with both grace and a grin. Highly recommended.” – Jason Coyle
★★★★ Movies.ie
Mattress Men tells the story of the Irish recession and the devastating effect it had and still has on the country but it is hard not to root for the plucky, charming and flawed people at the heart of this film. – Brogen Hayes
Film Ireland
“This story is as human as it gets, Colm Quinn’s film is more than the success story of a salesman turned internet star/national treasure, it’s a warm and familiar story of nationhood and success” – Grace Corry
And heres just a sample of what some people have been saying online about the film
https://twitter.com/FJWaldron/status/784119005560901632
So you know get out there and go see the film in your cinema, bring your friends and all that.
John Murphy 