The Stag
There are times in a cinematic life where a film genuinely surprises you. You could go into a terrible film and come out taken aback by how incredible it is. I’ve done this before. I mean, I’ve certainly done the opposite where I’ve expected something badly great and wound up being horrible offended. But when it’s the good way around, it is one of the best things in the world. For me, the lists of this include Repo! The Genetic Opera and The Decoy Bride where I expected god-awful films but came out with something entirely epic that I’ve been obsessed with ever since.
Well, I really expected The Stag to be a Stale Treat and was surprised when it followed something completely different.
The film revolves around Fiannan, a “metrosexual” man who would rather organise the wedding rather than go out on the piss with his mates. When his work starts to irritate his bride to be and those around him, she enlists his best man Davin to take him on a stag weekend which literally consists of a group of men walking. Unfortunately, that man’s inviting the bride’s haphazard brother Richard who is known mockingly as The Machine. Can the men survive the weekend of craziness?
The Stag follows a lot of traits of the usual “men bond and go crazy wehheyyyy” kind of aspect. American Pie, The Hangover and more all showcase the rambunctious has been around in cinema for a long time only recently smashed with Bridesmaids (guys, girls are disgusting too.) Anyway, The Stag does simper with that horrible familiarity. But then it does something new and innovative - it gives it a lot of soul. Whilst The Machine may anger, irritate and upset, he opens up a whole plethora of emotions including grabbing it while you can. Also, women aren’t really at fault here or ball-busters, it’s about the conflict inside masculinity and the modern man all set to these over the top entertaining moments. It’s quite a marvel of the astute John Butler that it is enthused with this spirit.
Speaking candidly, because I feel as though I am bias because there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t ruminate on his performance as Moriarty. But Andrew Scott is so undeniably great here that he carries the film to another level. As he deals with the escapades, like a father trying to coddle and group man babies across the countryside of Ireland, he also grapples with his unrequited feelings for his best friend fiancée. Through shame, embarrassment and drug induced elation, Scott’s Davin is fleshed out with this semi-broken heart trying to beat on for his friend. In one heart-breaking scene, Scott literally encapsulates all the pain and heart of Davin in such a visceral way that it’s impossible not to feel for him.
That’s not to say that those around him do not grapple with the same emotions and act terrifically too. In fact, there’s Peter McDonald, younger brother to Domhnall Brian Gleeson and Hugh O’Connor who deliver magnificent hilarity spliced with undeniably humanity that takes The Stag to a different level of pre-wedding debauchery. The events unravel insanely, following this lovely little trope but underneath it, they uncover something strangely exhilarating about it. Remarkable, comedic and with a great soul - chugging along like The Machine’s energy, The Stag is a surprising film to enjoy.
The Stag is showing at Netflix