Wild Mountain Thyme (2020)

An aging Irish farmer (Christopher Walken) makes plans to leave his farm to his American nephew (Jon Hamm) rather than his own son (Jamie Dornan). This causes a rift not only between father and son but also the girl (Emily Blunt) on the neighboring farm who has loved the son since childhood. Based on the play OUTSIDE MULLINGAR by John Patrick Shanley (an Oscar winner for his MOONSTRUCK screenplay) who also directed the film. Considering my aversion to Irish whimsey (you can thank John Ford for that!), I was surprised how much I enjoyed this romantic drama though it is far from perfect. Even though he's Irish himself, Shanley seemed to have more of an affinity for the Italian family in MOONSTRUCK than he does with the Irish clan here, who often come across as more FINIAN'S RAINBOW than Sean O'Casey. Their slipshod Irish accents aside, the actors do quite well especially Emily Blunt who would do Maureen O'Hara proud. It's a slight piece that can't quite hold up under the heaviness that Shanley burdens it with. With Dearbhla Molloy in the film's one authentic performance as Blunt's mother and Danielle Ryan.