Jay Rohr
Dead Man’s Money carried the 11th annual Irish American Movie Hooley in a darkly humorous direction. The second film of the festival is loosely inspired by Shakespeare’s famous Scottish play. Though the tale hits familiar points, it manages to stand apart from its progenitor in delightful ways. Those familiar with the Bard’s play will find a curious reimagining that comes to a haunting conclusion.
The story centers on Young Henry (Ciarán McMenamin). For years, he and wife Pauline (Judith Roddy) have been slavishly devoted to maintaining the farmland and local pub owned by Old Henry (Pat Shortt). When concerns arise that the fortune they expect to inherit may go to the Widow Tweed (Kathy Kiera Clarke), dark dealings transpire as ambitions lead to bloodshed. However, the bones which pave the way to gold may also lead to ruin.
Dead Man’s Money does a delightful job of following the plot points laid out in Macbeth, while managing to tell its own story. The central narrative rhymes rather than echoes the source of its inspiration. Knowing the Scottish play in-depth can make Dead Man’s Money feel predictable to a degree, but overall, writer-director Paul Kennedy takes the story to interesting places.
That’s because the movie is more thematically akin to the play that inspired it than it is a pure narrative reflection. Like Scotland, P.A. (2001), Dead Man’s Money takes cues from Shakespeare’s work before forging its own path. This results in several amusing exchanges between performers as well as fantastically stylized cutaways showing their thoughts. At risk of spoilers, when Pauline is ruminating on the horde of people she believes will try to get a piece of Old Henry’s fortune, the film cuts to a depiction stylistically similar to Night of the Living Dead (1968) — money grubbing vultures banging on a door like zombies in black and white.
These little touches keep even predictable instances from depreciating the picture. Dead Man’s Money weaves a noirish adaptation of Macbeth full of the kind of dark humor Coen Brother movies excel at. Furthermore, the dialogue is magnificent, especially when characters are trying not to expressly discuss sinister intentions. This makes the predictable compelling by keeping the audience curious as to how the film will explore each upcoming plot point. For example, Pauline as a stand-in for Lady Macbeth has the expected decline into insanity, but exactly how Dead Man’s Money depicts it is heartbreaking as well as a bit frightening.
Cinematically the movie is straightforward. Stylization is reserved primarily for cutaways. This helps set them apart while giving them their own tone. Overall, the film is largely one set piece in a few simple locations. During a Q&A after the viewing, Judith Roddy revealed that’s because the original script was written for a stage play. It’s easy to see that, and there’s no doubt in my mind the movie could easily transition as is to live theater. The only downside is that the story starts to feel a little repetitive visually. Everything eventually becomes a conversation in a pub composed of the standard shot/reverse shot.
Fortunately, Dead Man’s Money knows not to waste time. The film clocks in at a tight 82 minutes. The pace is smooth and consistent throughout, gliding from the get-go to its grim conclusion. Along the way, stellar, sometimes subtle, performances carry the audience effortlessly along.
Ciarán McMenamin (Primeval) as Young Henry is a delight, particularly when chatting with other characters. And his shift into sinister is wonderfully unsettling. Judith Roddy (Rig 45) does a splendid job as Pauline shifting from flinty to vulnerable in a tragic way. Kathy Kiera Clarke (Derry Girls) magnificently oscillates between seductive, vacant, and sinister whenever the scene demands. Gerard Jones (Game of Thrones) brings a unique charm to an unflinchingly dark fellow. Finally, Paul Shortt (The Banshees of Inisherin) is wonderfully grumpy until the movie needs him to soften in a way that only enhances the tragedy.
The fact is every character has their appeal, thanks in no small part to the performances. What makes this great is that it frequently accentuates the tragedy which unfolds. Writer-director Paul Kennedy may be better known for playing Lord Jasper ‘Ironrod’ Wylde on House of the Dragon, but here he shows a talent for weaving intriguing characters into compelling situations. Watching the downfall of Young Henry is a tragedy, yet it comes across with enough comedic sugar to keep the audience swallowing until the final blow.
Visually Dead Man’s Money isn’t terribly captivating despite the occasional flair. Comedic conversations fuel the vast majority of the film’s appeal. Each of which shines thanks to a superb cast led by a tight script. There isn’t a wasted word in the whole movie. The film doesn’t disguise its inspirations, yet wisely never follows them like a formula set in stone. This allows Dead Man’s Money to be its own story; however familiar it may seem.
There’s plenty to praise about this pub-oriented Macbeth adaptation. What it lacks visually is likely more the result of low budget and having about twelve days to film than any failings by writer-director Paul Kennedy. For those who’d like to see something dialogue driven, Dead Man’s Money is a delightful escape from the cacophony that usually accompanies a look at direst cruelty and blood-soaked ambition.
