Don't Talk to Irene

Michelle McLeod delivers a super performance. She has range from sad to happy, thoughtful & empathetic. From time to time, watching a movie that doesn't include car chases & gore is good for the heart. Geena Davis has produced a movie that should be required viewing for all pre-teen girls & their families. To promote a can-do attitude & to keep the goal in sight is a necessary message for ALL young people growing up surrounded by ads for unobtainable perfection. Editing, direction & soundtrack are woven together for a very watchable family movie. Everyone should have a hero & in this movie, mine is Veena Davis.

Easy storyline, good performance from the character. if ruth have part as much as irene it would be more good i think. haha if you need some movie to start your day in a good way, this may be one of them.

LOVED IT! loved everything about this movie. A great story, great writing and the actors were incredible. Had me crying tears at the end. So well done.

It was a cute, funny, and quirky movie! It's a feel good movie that you'll surprisingly end up loving.

This movie could have been much more predictable but some great writing pulled it up! I found myself howling at some of the Retiree repartee! While this movie probably was done by a newer director, it kept my attention and certainly generated laughs through some unrealistic scenarios. You have to look at the entire thing as a fantasy - especially with the Greens Davis narrative. While it can't be held up as Oscar worthy, I guarantee that some of the funniest lines will have you laughing days from now. Also, mad props to lead actress Michelle McLeod for so unselfconsciously playing Irene and making someone who at first came across as homely and pathetic into a totally lovable character by movie's end. A FUN WATCH!!

I was expecting dumb dialogue and older teens acting more like middle schoolers. The plot was a bit stale and used before: Youth convinces sit 'n watch tele retirees that they can be 'ornery 'n feisty and be a cheerleading team. Yeah, sure, except it was well acted with a bit raw anatomical dialogue and similar perversions(?). There is some of the usual H.S. teen based film scenarios such as bullying, and of course teachers/administrators portrayed as losers. Most part intelligent no-holds-barred dialogue amongst a disparate range of characters and their flaws.

This was a delight to watch, through and through. I am obsessed with the lead actress! She was awesome. Definitely a feel good tale.

Irene wants to be a cheerleader and she'll do just about anything including licking the boys locker room floor. Irene ends up getting suspended and volunteering at the senior home next to the high school. Irene ends up lifting the spirits of the residents by getting them to tryout for a reality show with a dance routine. Really good story and funny cast. Worth a watch - you will be entertained!

Ok I really wasn't expecting much when I lazed on the couch late one afternoon. I was actually kind of tired but I came across this on HBO and happened to see it from the opening credits. I wasn't giving it a whole lot of thought or hope. But I soon found myself drawn in to a wonderful little story of overcoming adversity and winning in the end. Irene is the classic overweight unattractive star of the movie wonderfully played by Michelle McLeod. Yes she is picked on, laughed at and bullied. Her mother (Anastasia Phillips) doesn't help either. But Irene has spunk and what she really wants is to join the cheerleader squad. Well given her weight and looks that's not about to happen and a perfect bully (Aviva Mongillo) tricks Irene into an idiot act and Irene in retaliation decks her. That gets her, Avivo and her boyfriend into trouble with the principal's office and they are all suspended and must spend two weeks community service at a retirement home. And it is from here that the film gets fun. Rather than mope Irene sets out to wake up the seniors, wonderfully played by Bruce Gray, Joan Gregson amongst others, by getting them up and dancing and convincing them that they can do it. Irene is guided by her spirit Geena Davis who constantly reminds Irene that she can do it. Naturally in creating her dance troupe there is some pushback from the manager of the seniors home played with perfect bitchiness by Scott Thompson as only he can do. Irene pulls in some others including the guy working as a cook who claimed that when you get out of prison working at a retirement home is the best you can do. As well a friend from high school who looked and acted like Scott Thompson from his Kid's in the Hall days wonderfully playing a "screaming queen. It all comes together with a wonderful piece of dance set to Milli Vanilli's Blame it on the Rain and Irene wins in the end. Yes it is mushy and sentimental but it is done so wonderfully you don't care. No, it is not fall down hilarious but it has its moments of nice chuckles. And it is so heart warming you overlook its many flaws. And it is all set against the backdrop of Hamilton, Ontario. Yes it's a Canadian film. And it is a wonderful little film.

To be honest I was a little skeptical about this movie. Whether it would be a good watch or not. It was a really nice movie with moments where you would have a good laugh. The story-line is really typical and you can sort of predict the ending. But overall it is a good watch and gives a good moral at the end. A good watch for the weekend.