Rose Plays Julie (2019)

Directed by: Christine Molloy, Joe Lawlor | 100 minutes | drama | Actors: Ann Skelly, Orla Brady, Aidan Gillen, Annabell Rickerby, Catherine Walker, Joanne Crawford, Alan Howley, Sadie Soverall

In ‘Rose Plays Julie’, a young Dublin woman, Rose (Ann Skelly), decides to search for her biological father and mother. She recently discovered that she has been adopted and that her original name is Julie. Rose travels from Dublin to London in an attempt to find her biological mother Ellen (Orla Brady). Ellen, a popular TV actress, is deeply disturbed when the young woman shows up unannounced at her house. Ellen refuses to interact with Rose, as her presence threatens the stability of her new life. But Rose is determined, forcing Ellen to give the name of Rose’s biological father, Peter (Aidan Gillen). As Rose digs deeper into her past, her own identity begins to crumble. The consequences of this could be catastrophic.

‘Rose Plays Julie’ is directed, written and produced by Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor. The duo’s latest feature comes after they previously made ‘Mister John’ (2013), a drama film that also places great emphasis on identity and family. This time, the filmmakers have increased the focus on identity and family tenfold, with a main character that could be regarded as the living realization of the two themes. Actress Ann Skelly helps their film well on its way, but the result is ultimately less successful than with their predecessor.

The biggest problem with ‘Rose Plays Julie’ is the slow plot development. The story flows very calmly, with scenes that often add little to the basis of the film. Close-ups of Rose staring into the distance and random shots of nature regularly test the viewer’s patience. Why are certain scenes stretched so long? What exactly is shown to us? Do we need to see this? The film provides few answers. An argument could be made for atmosphere and tension building, but of course there are limits. Building atmosphere and tension is important, but if ‘Rose Plays Julie’ was indeed after this, the film also takes way too much time.

These flaws are a pity compared to the actors, who do a fine job. Ann Skelly is clearly the standout, although Orla Brady and Aidan Gillen’s acting is solid as well. The interplay between the three actors is both believable and captivating. What the film ultimately aims to communicate about their characters is interesting, but the road there leaves much to be desired. “Rose Plays Julie” might have worked better as a sleek, short film in this regard. In its current state, the film is really too long.