Garage is a 2007 realist (even hyper-realist) film by Irish director Lenny Abramson. The film centers on the daily life of Josie (a petrol station worker who lives in a small Irish village) and the social relations he holds with his neighbor villagers.One of the most interesting aspects of the film is the interpretation of Pat Shortt embodying the naïve Josie. The protagonist of the film is an adorable simpleton who enjoys his banal life and his boring employment at the petrol station. Despite of his utter solitude, everything seems to be alright for Josie, even when he is deliberately mocked he seems to be absolutely happy. He enjoys the pleasures of this routine but it will change when a teenager is designed to help him at the petrol station.The portrayal of Josie is carried out by means of using the camera as a mere spectator in the story, as an objective eye that witnesses the events. It shows us Josie as he really is, without taking into account the subjective point of view of the rest of characters, giving the film an intimate and melancholic mood.Another remarkable issue is that, with a low budget and an ordinary plot, Abramson achieves to tell a warm story, full of humanity, halfway between comedy and tragedy, in which a little piece of reality can be seen.Abramson takes great delight in using long sequences full of long shots, so the movie depicts the Irish countryside with a lot of outdoors sequences.Perhaps, the only negative thing about this film is its slow speed (regarding that it is only an hour and twenty minutes long). At some points this paused rhythm makes the movie tedious and difficult to bear, but it also seems that it is what the director intended: to make the audience stop and enjoy watching the details of each shot.

I 'grew up' in the late 70's and 80's and i now have children of my own. Yet the influences I experienced growing up, then which seemed so innocent, are now fatal!. This is an amazing film which i believe most will recognise. Both from the outsiders sentimental view of the main character, to an affinity with the 'victim' to an annoyance of the 'catalyst'. Everyone likes to share their new found experiences and understanding with those they consider friends, except it seems, you can become too old to share. However, when the sharing and empathy don't meet with the standards of modern society, then the price has to be paid. This film also includes examples of our own frailties, those we might recognise, those we disagree with, but also those we, in the quietest moment of our souls, empathise with, would not dispute!The acting of Pat Shortt is truly stunning! The other actors, though they had their characters to play, to perfection....all were exemplary in determining another character - Pat Shortt's! His performance was brilliantly uplifted by everyone else involved in this film.I will not be recommending this film...i will be demanding that anyone who loves life and film must see it

Neil Garvey, elsewhere on these comments, summarises all the cinematic points perfectly.But if anyone thought Pat Shortt was limited to Killinascully style comedy (which is excellent), think again. Playing the part, slightly better than marginally functional, he displays all the characteristics which evoke sympathy in some people and disdain in others. Strangely none of the negative traits which really ostracise. So we can all, for the most part, be on his side. It's powerful acting, though; I never saw anything to lift me back from the film itself.Somebody mentioned lighting as a problem. Well, the inside of garages can be dark so no problem there, and some of the riverside scenes were magical. Water skimmers with full reflection of their undersides - well done or what?.Others mentioned blow-ins and non-villagers are altering the outcomes. Couldn't see it.But it's bleak, and the reason for his unravelment is the one young person who seemed to appreciate or understand his (necessarily) simplistic view of life, which is particularly cruel.Elsewhere on the message boards I see someone wondering was there a metaphor in the conclusion.I can only think that he wondered what the other side could be like.See, I told you it didn't cheer me up!

The movie has a lot of potential with good acting but it did not connect to me although having sympathy for the story and the script certain scenes where too much for my eyes the film lacked a certain aesthetic touch. The pace of the movie is pretty slow and varies little in rhythm. The scene on the lake, and the horse greeting - feeding were one of the best scenes but that's about it. The actors did not have the change to show off their talents as the dialogs are filmed as if it was a sort of documentary. The quality of the image disturbed me a lot especially the light effects (or lack of it). I missed a certain flair and swing that exploits more the soul of the main character.(There where many that left the cinema during the film)