The Closer You Get

2000 Comedy

In a small Irish village where herding sheep is still one of the major industries, the largely male, unmarried population has grown dissatisfied with their lot in life; when a shipping error sends the wrong film to the local movie house, the citizens are treated to a racy item from the United States. The movie is cut short by the village priest, but it plants an idea in a few of the men: America is overflowing with beautiful women, so why not get a few of them to come to Ireland? Pooling their resources, a group of men places personal ads in an American newspaper in hopes of luring a few ladies away from life in the States for the more rustic pleasures of the Irish countryside. The debut film from director Aileen Ritchie, The Closer You Get stars Niamh Cusack, Ian Hart, Sean McGinley, and Ruth McCabe.

Director: Aileen Ritchie

Starring: Niamh Cusack, Sean McGinley, Ian Hart, Ewan Stewart, Sean McDonagh

Reviews

  • Gentle, wacky, down-to-earth and romantic.

    Peter Stack - The San Francisco Chronicle

    27 April 2013

  • Goes down as smoothly as a pint of Irish ale.

    Lou Lumenick - New York Post

    27 April 2013

  • Featherweight tale of Guinness-guzzling bachelors.

    - Entertainment Weekly

    27 April 2013

  • A droll, hearty Irish comedy with a serious undertow all the more effective for its unexpected candor and depth.

    Kevin Thomas - Los Angeles Times

    27 April 2013

  • It is tough to fight off the ennui created by this comedy.

    Staff [Not Credited] - USA Today

    27 April 2013

Awards

  • Aileen Ritchie

    Dinard British Film Festival (2000)