Written and directed by Conor McDermottroe this tale, loosely based on Ireland’s first Halal abattoir is filled with laughs as cultures clash in a rural town.
It is a path which has been trodden many times and following The Guard from 2011, this film enters an elite field.
The lead in Halal Daddy is played by Nikesh Patel (Indian Summers) as the put-upon Raghdan. He has escaped his arranged marriage and fled to Sligo where he is hiding out with his aunt and uncle.
On his 21st Birthday, his overbearing Father, Aziz, played by Art Malik (True Lies, The Infiltrator) arrives and lays out an ultimatum for Raghdan.
The supporting cast does a good job of playing for laughs with characters that are stereotypical and underdeveloped. Particular standouts are Colm Meany (Con Air, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa) as Martin, Deirdre O’Kane (Moone Boy) as Doreen and Jerry Iwu as stoner friend Neville.
The real depth in this film comes from its overused jokes about cultural differences, used to show similarities between the extremities of not just Islam, but also Christianity.
The subversive way that Director McDermottroe and co-writer Mark O’Halloran bring these parallels to the attention of the audience while making us laugh, is the real success of this film.
The sometimes obvious laughs are there, the edgier jokes make the cut too, and even with the much-used stereotypes this is still a charming and intelligent comedy.
If you want to see, a movie that will break box office records, give this a miss. But if you want to see a self-deprecating look at Ireland and its merging cultures this film that will make you laugh and send you home with a wistful smile.
