Cowboys & Angels (2004)

“Shane” (Michael Legge) is a country bumpkin who has got a job working for the government but who is fed up commuting from his rural home. Whilst he’s at the letting agent, he sees a flat that he can’t afford but could possibly share with another interested party. He’s already, briefly, met “Vincent” (Allen Leech) but now they seem destined to share a new home. “Vincent” is his exact opposite. An outwardly gay, stylish and creative design school lad who pretty much takes over the place. A bottle of wine and some shared school trip memories start to cement their friendship and swiftly require “Shane” to up-convert his wardrobe. That might prove a little easier to fund when he discovers that the lads downstairs like to peddle some drugs. They promise him some easy cash to be their mule and, well naturally that course isn’t going to run smoothly for him or his new, uninvolved, flatmate. When a disaster strikes and some menacing individuals start to keep watch on their building, things could be getting quite dodgy for the pair just as “Vincent” must put on his diploma-earning catwalk show. Can they sort things out and stay out of jail - or worse? To be honest, the story becomes a little too far-fetched but it’s kept alive by two really quite engaging performances from Legge and Leech that screams bromance at you. It’s also a film that showcases just how profoundly life has moved on in an Ireland where being gay is no big deal for many, though it also shows is just how prevalent the drug culture has become, too. The dialogue, especially from “Vincent” is amiably sarcastic and the whole film, aided by a few scenes from best pal “Gemma” (Amy Shiels), exudes a confidence and likeableness that raises a smile and effortlessly passes ninety minutes. The conclusion is all a bit rushed but it’s still worth a watch.