Derry Girls (2018-2022) dir. Micheal Lennox
“Being a Derry girl is a state of mind.” This quote, from one of the main characters of “Derry Girls,” embodies the entire sentiment of the 2018 sitcom. Following the story of the four “Derry Girls” and “the wee English fella” James, the struggles of a life in 1990s Northern Ireland, along with classic coming of age dilemmas keeps the audience laughing, curious, and nostalgic.
The group attends an all-girls Catholic secondary school where they navigate the social hierarchy of the school and find their own individuality in an environment that prioritizes uniformity. On a deeper level, the show illustrates Irish culture and the historical division between English and Irish people, which was extremely apparent during the Troubles period of the late 1960s to 1998. Throughout all three seasons of the series, reactions to acts of violence and division, like military checkpoints, IRA activity, and bombings, demonstrate the harsh reality of normalizing conflicts and how they shape the youth growing up alongside them.
Among others, one of the obstacles the group faces is on their journey to a concert in Belfast. Michelle, the brash and reckless one, brings a suitcase full of alcohol for the performance without knowing they would run into their principal, Sister Michael, on the bus. Once the teens denied ownership of the bag to Sister Michael, Michelle's first instinct was to evacuate and call the army bomb disposal unit. While everyone eagerly watches the unit’s controlled explosion from just a few feet away, James expresses his disbelief and fear, which is quickly rebutted by Michelle, pointing out his contrastingly shielded English childhood. Throughout the seasons, moments where the group comes face to face with danger demonstrate the adaptability and persistence it takes to live in a constantly changing and insecure community.
Through dialogue between characters, I was happily surprised at the accuracy and understanding of the unique Northern Irish accent and slang. Phrases such as “Catch yourself on!” and “Aye, that’s class” mixed within conversations indicate attention to detail during the writing process. Coupled with practically an all-Irish cast, accents were spot on and reminded me of my family members from the Emerald Isle. Since I was very small, my Nana has always greeted me by saying, “Would you like a wee cup of tea, love?”
With many scenes actually filmed in Derry, the Northern Irish city named in the title, culturally significant landmarks like Guildhall Square and Free Derry Corner are not just accurate, but the sentiments attached to them help further the show’s educational aspect. At the end of the first season, the group listens to the highly anticipated Bill Clinton speech, culminating with James declaring himself a “Derry Girl." Graffiti and murals like the Free Derry Corner are thoughtfully interspersed throughout the seasons and are often tied to difficulties the group is facing.
In the show’s finale, the group reaches voting age and casts affirmative votes in the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, an integral piece of legislation in Northern Ireland’s journey to peace. This climax symbolizes the intertwined end of a rebellious stage for both the country and friend group, as well as the upcoming development, maturity, and prospective peace.
The Commitments (1991) dir. Alan Parker
Jimmy Rabbitte, an unemployed Dubliner struggling to get food on the table, has the seemingly impossible dream of forming and managing a world famous all-Irish band. After placing an ad in the local newspaper, Rabbitte is approached by hundreds of fame-hungry musicians who are at best mediocre. However, from the Northside slums of Dublin rises The Commitments, a soul band with rock and Motown influences, solely comprised of working-class musicians.
Inspired by the 1987 novel by Roddy Doyle, the film reveals the grim and unforgiving lifestyle in povertystricken areas of Ireland. Over many years, foreign perspectives have romanticized Irish life, exclusively picturing lush fields, boutique cottages, and country living. In contrast, the band’s raw lyrics and production style reflect their living conditions and surrounding community, highlighting the urban decay of Irish cities and the required resilience of the working class.
While juggling their work lives to keep their families afloat, they score their first gig at a local church on the pretense that their performance would be part of an anti-heroin campaign. In many ways, their rebellious and diverse style is reflective of Dublin culture, and allowed the audience to hear their personal problems as well as national problems reflected in music and then find a temporary escape. The seemingly unconventional first performance venue was a deliberate choice by Doyle, alluding to the abundant use of narcotics throughout the 1990s in the country.
Despite their sound becoming a hit within the Dublin area, the messy inter-band relationships as well as their arrogant and egotistical behavior cause tensions to climax at their most high-stakes gig, resulting in the breakup of the group. Nonetheless, the music the group got to perform almost makes up for their short lifespan. Songs like “Mustang Sally” and “Chain of Fools” were covers that turned the pub crowd into an electric frenzy. In fact, the music featured in the film was completely live, meaning all the songs in the soundtrack were performed by the actors themselves, and the lively pub culture was captured on-site.
Toward the end of the film, Rabbitte and one of the musicians, Joey Hagan, reminisce about the group’s successes as well as the possibilities if the band had overcome their conflicts. While Hagan is satisfied with what they have accomplished, Rabbitte, being the manager, cannot look past the separation. To try to ease Rabbitte, Hagan emphasizes the large impact they had on each other throughout their time together rather than potential fame and money: “You're missin' the point. The success of the band was irrelevant — you raised their expectations of life, you lifted their horizons. Sure, we could have been famous and made albums and stuff, but that would have been predictable. This way it's poetry.”