Sometimes, we just need a break from the humdrum of everyday life, in the shape of a light-hearted film.
If you are in need of a heartwarming distraction, look no further than the charming new Irish mockumentary Fran The Man. This comedy serves as the perfect antidote to the daily grind, and while it takes place in the world of football, you don’t have to be a sports fan to appreciate its humour and warmth.
Originally conceived as a web series on YouTube, Fran The Man transitioned to Setanta Sports and TV3 in 2009; it follows the misadventures of Fran Costello (Darragh Humphreys), an assistant coach for a Dublin football club. Humphreys reprises his role for the film.
Fran is endearingly inept, often finding himself in chaotic situations that arise from his genuine love for the game and unwavering loyalty to his team. His clumsy nature is never malicious; instead, it’s infused with a sincerity that makes him incredibly relatable.
With a talented ensemble of well-known Irish actors and the skilled direction of Cork film-maker Stephen Bradley, it will have audiences laughing in their seats.
On the Late Late Showearlier this month, Deirdre O’Kane, who also stars in this, said that “everyone knows a Fran” and she is right.
Whether you are in a football club or a book club, there is someone like Fran, who cares deeply and knows everything about their chosen love, but somehow, things always go awry. In this case, Fran’s first love is his local amateur football club, St Peter’s Athletic.
A few years ago, Fran was filmed having a meltdown, and the clip went viral. A song was even written about it. Since then, he has focused on running training sessions and keeping his head down.
When the club is drawn to play Shamrock Rovers in the cup final, it should be Fran’s greatest day, instead, he finds himself caught up in match-fixing at the highest level.
International bookmakers are astonished that this small club has reached the final. They have set the odds at 5-1 against St Peter’s, predicting a loss to Rovers.
According to the Gardaí, at least one player from St Peter’s is reportedly planning to throw the match. Risteard Cooper and Toni O’Rourke play bumbling detectives who enlist Fran’s help to uncover who is involved in the fixing scandal.
We discover all this through a camera’s perspective. A documentary crew is following Fran charting the club’s rise. All scenes are captured through interviews and footage of training.
Ardal O’Hanlon portrays the club’s manager and solicitor. He is shady and doesn’t appear to have much football knowledge, but he enjoys the power that comes with being the boss. He allows Fran to handle all the day-to-day stuff and run the training sessions, but intervenes at the last minute to make decisions about the team.
Fran believes his team needs fresh talent. He thinks that by bringing in a few strong players, they can compensate for the less reliable and give St Peter’s a real chance at winning. He discovers a young star named Bobby Charlton, who is not related to the famous Charlton, played by newcomer Darren Dixon. Bobby’s mother, Jackie Charlton (Amy Huberman), doesn’t want her son to play.
With Bobby’s Leaving Cert exams approaching, she thinks he should focus on school, but Fran convinces her that he can balance football and study. There is a little spark between Jackie and Fran, but Fran, being clueless, doesn’t really know how to respond.
As match day approaches, the training sessions become increasingly tense. The older players are not fond of the newcomers, and there is a general air of suspicion among the team. Fran is clueless about which players might be involved in fixing matches.
With everyone acting strangely, even a travel agent, Dympna Greene (Deirdre O’Kane), who sponsors the team, comes under scrutiny as a potential crook.
Fran The Man is exactly the type of silliness that brightens up the day. No matter how bad things get for him, you want Fran to succeed, and as match day arrives, you really feel for him as he tries to ascertain who is determined to ruin the match.
With a great cast led by part-time actor Humphreys, Fran The Man is a charming escape from reality, a real crowd-pleaser. Four goals, I mean stars, for Fran.
