Just weeks from his 18th birthday, troubled kid Christy (Danny Power) is kicked out by his foster family and forced to live temporarily with his estranged brother, Shane (Diarmuid Noyes), while his social worker tries to find him another situation. Returning to his small working-class community in Knocknaheeny, Cork, Christy is confronted with a past he barely remembers.
Brendan Canty’s debut feature Christy, born from his 2019 short film of the same name, is a surprise gem of the Edinburgh International Film Festival. It focuses on the difficult relationship between the two brothers as Shane struggles to fully accept Christy back into his life, instead seeking to have him relocated outside of Cork. Pushed away by Shane, Christy finds himself drawn towards his violent cousins despite warnings that their neglect may have had a hand in the death of his mother.
In amongst the family drama, though, is the story of a young man finding his confidence. He’s stand-offish, quiet, and quick to react with anger, but another side of him begins to emerge as he settles into life in Knocknaheeny. Danny Power guides the audience effortlessly through this character development with his subtle, understated performance, allowing Christy’s kindness to shine through in tender moments such as when he puts his baby nephew down for a nap or when he shares a drink with a homeless woman.
Christy initially threatens to be a pretty grim hour and a half with early scenes of fighting and persistent dull lighting, and though there are difficult emotional moments, first impressions don’t do this film justice at all. Part of the social realist genre, Christy confronts issues of class, masculinity, and the foster care system, but it does so while maintaining not only a sense of humour but a sense of joy as well. The script has a handful of genuinely laugh-out-loud funny lines all delivered by a great cast of characters. Robot, a precocious disabled boy played by the hilarious and very talented Jamie Forde, is a stand-out, throwing out great one-liners without being reduced to pure comic relief.
The plot may revolve around Christy and his family, but at its heart Christy is a love letter to Knocknaheeny and its people. The film is happy to take its time establishing the relationships within the community, not just between Christy and the people around him, but between everyone. Teenagers drinking in a field, people getting their hair trimmed, an outdoor birthday party – these everyday moments become something more in the hands of Canty, who portrays them with love and care. It helps that there’s real community spirit behind the film, with all filming done on location and much of the cast being drawn from Cork-based youth hip-hop collective, The Kabin Studio. Their rap video during the credits will have you smiling from ear to ear!
This is a film that doesn’t shy away from the difficulties faced by kids in Christy’s situation, but it’s also a film that prioritises hope. No matter your past or the family you come from, there’s always hope when you’re surrounded by people who love you.
Christy showed at the 78th Edinburgh International Film Festival.
