Gets weighed down by the constant film-referencing and the strained credibility of the odd couple's relationship.
When Brendan Met Trudy (2001)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:59
Fresh:37
Rotten:22
Average Rating:5.8/10
Consensus: The references to other films are rather overdone, and the direction is uneven.
Rated: Not Rated
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:Mar 9, 2001 Limited
Synopsis: Acclaimed author Roddy Doyle teams up with first-time feature director Kieron J. Walsh for WHEN BRENDAN MET TRUDY, a charming romantic comedy about an unlikely relationship that forms between a... Acclaimed author Roddy Doyle teams up with first-time feature director Kieron J. Walsh for WHEN BRENDAN MET TRUDY, a charming romantic comedy about an unlikely relationship that forms between a Dublin schoolteacher and a free-spirited woman with a hidden profession. Brendan (Peter McDonald) spends his off hours watching old movies and singing in a local choir. One night, he meets Trudy (Flora Montgomery) in a pub, and they agree to meet at the cinema later that week. When Trudy stands Brendan up, he tracks her down; surprisingly, a serious relationship develops. Things take a turn for the strange and bizarre when Brendan begins to suspect Trudy's nocturnal adventures might have to do with a series of violent castrations that have struck the city. Confronting her, he instead learns that Trudy is a professional burglar, which shocks him into even greater confusion. After convincing him to help her rob his sister's house, Brendan finds himself falling quite easily into a life of crime. A final daring heist of the new computers at Brendan's school finally brings the happy days to an end, but this does not dampen the film's persistently cheerful tone. Doyle's unpredictable script, combined with a bouncy pop soundtrack, makes Walsh's big-screen debut a lighthearted, engaging affair. [More]
Starring: Peter McDonald, Flora Montgomery, Marie Mullen, Pauline McLynn
Starring: Peter McDonald, Flora Montgomery, Marie Mullen, Pauline McLynn, Margaret Wycherly, Maynard Eziashi, Eileen Walsh, Barry Cassin, Robert O'Neill, Eoin Manley, Gabriel Byrne
Director: Kieron J. Walsh
Director: Kieron J. Walsh
Screenwriter: Roddy Doyle
Producer: Lynda Myles
Composer: Richard Hartley
Studio: The Shooting Gallery
Get This Movie
Reviews for When Brendan Met Trudy
It has highly appealing stars, plenty of pep, a delicately pointed sense of humor about everything from movie geeks to social climbers.
Flits along on its sheer love for movies, injecting a screwball playfulness that feels like a breath of fresh air.
There's too much air and contrivance between the laughs and the small eruptions of charm.
It's the rare romantic comedy that manages to convey the life-changing effect true love can have, and this one will leave you floating as high as Brendan and Trudy.
Doyle and director Kieron J. Walsh have such a fine old time with all this winky-wink business that they seem to only sporadically recall the plight of star-crossed lovers Brendan ... and Trudy.
Luxuriates in cinema references while laughing at its own fetishes -- a neat talent.
Features a more self-indulgent form of cinephilia, the sort that's fun on its first couple of passes but soon starts to grate.
Truth to tell, this film could have used a lot more of the old screwball sensibility.
There isn't a firm enough hand behind the camera to control the bland script by Roddy Doyle.
A terribly uneven film which doesn't roar into life until its final thirty minutes.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 83% 83% | The Princess and the Frog | 12/11 |
| 86% 86% | A Single Man | 12/11 |
| 56% 56% | The Lovely Bones | 12/11 |
| 88% 88% | Invictus | 12/11 |
| | Avatar | 12/18 |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- When Brendan Met Trudy at Rotten Tomatoes
- When Brendan Met Trudy at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

MSN Movies offers a little background on the success of Disney Animation.

TIME takes a look back at the history of vampires on film.

Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.

AOL put together a list of 10 recent news items that would be perfect as TV Movies.

Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill explores how remakes and reboots have warped our thinking.
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic


