White Irish Drinkers is a coming of age story, centered around a boy who doesn't quite fit in with the rest of his dysfunctional family. It's a common theme in many similar films and to be honest, I didn't see anything here, that made this movie stand out from the rest of them. This is just another coming of age film without many surprises. The story wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything special. The acting was OK, as was the pace of the film. I'm finding it really difficult to say anything positive or negative about White Irish Drinkers, because the truth is, it's just a simple, ordinary story that I've seen a hundred times before. The names and places always change, and there was a familiar face or two, but nothing about this film stands out positively or negatively in any way. It's just a very common type of story with a very ordinary cast. Everyone does their job and the story gets told, I don't know what you'll think, but my reaction to this film was simple neutrality. A decent movie, but easily forgotten, as nothing made any kind of impact on me at all.

The film stars Nick Thurston as the wantabe painter. He lives with his mother Margaret (Karen Allen) and father Paddy (Stephen Lang) and practices his art in the basement beneath their apartment, keeping it a secret from everyone but his big brother Danny (Geoff Wigdor). Danny has always taken the beatings of their abusive alcoholic father while Paddy has never laid a hand on Nick. Nick tries to stay away from Danny's criminal plans but he also doesn't want to end up like his soon to be blue-collar friends or his buddy Todd (Zachary Booth), who took a college scholarship (which was unheard of in his neighborhood). He works for a local theater helping the owner, Whitey (Peter Riegert), book local bands. When Whitey books the Rolling Stones for a one hour gig on their way through town it seems like the theater's income problems could be over. Then Brian feels influenced into helping Danny rob the show's loot. He has to deal with tough family love, deciding what he wants to do with his life as well as a possible romance with an old high school crush (Leslie Murphy).

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and everything that it brought to the table. I felt the story was extremely well written and the film was brilliantly casted. Newcomer Nick Thurston delivered a brilliant performance and really put himself on the map I feel. I also really enjoyed watching Karen Allen's performance for I thought she did an amazing job at bring the character to life and really showing her struggle. The film also had an amazing soundtrack that really added extreme emotion to all the scenes. I truly could feel the emotional tension in each scene. Aside from it being emotionally gripping, it also had a light hearted feel to it as well. The exchanges between Nick Thurston and his love interest really have a romantic touch to them and gives the film its romantic appeal.I really feel people will love this movie for it really is able to connect with people and reach them on a personal level. I high recommend seeing it. Well worth it.

I'm drawn to movies that deal with families that are not as picture perfect as Hollywood movies normally depict them to be. White Irish Drinkers reveals the dark side of an alcoholic, dehumanized father, a mother who is trapped in an abusive marriage, and two coming-of-age brothers who are forced find their own way to escape their bleak futures---- at whatever cost.For a film marketed around the line "Blood is thicket than Brooklyn" -- it's an honest and heartwarming independent. It's a genuine story that tests the power of loyalty in the middle of crime-infested Brooklyn.. White Irish Drinkers is definitely one of those movies that puts everything into perspective.