The Matchmaker

Okay, we get it. The Irish are the most charming drunk romantic pugilists in the world. Now can we get on with the movie? When Massachusetts senator John McGlory's bid for re-election appears to be in jeopardy, he sends his assistant Marcy (Janeane Garofalo) to Ireland to find his long-lost relations for a great photo op. Marcy can't dig up any McGlorys, but she does find herself smack in the middle of a matchmaking festival.

Director Mark Joffe has a fun story to tell; unfortunately, he's so keen on creating a picture-book Ireland that he often neglects the narrative. He also heaps on extraneous plot twists and a lame first half-hour. Still, thanks largely to a fine cast, The Matchmaker does strike a flame. Garofalo does her cute cynical thing well, and Denis Leary has no problem as McGlory's asshole campaign manager. But it's the wry touch of David O'Hara (Braveheart) as Marcy's persistent suitor that keeps the predictable love story engaging to the final scene in Boston. Opens Friday at the Holiday and Showcase cinemas.

-- Mark Bazer