Review of Calendar Girls!

𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀: 𝗔 𝗕𝗼𝗹𝗱, 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺

“𝘈 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘩, 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵, 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘵𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘵𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥—𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺—𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨.” – The Chicago Tribune

This film had it all—a journey that took us from the quaint and traditional world of the ICA to the raw emotional turmoil of John’s illness and passing, before delivering a second half full of sharp wit, brilliant one-liners, and a calendar shoot that left the audience in stitches.

The cast’s commitment was nothing short of phenomenal. It takes bravery to stand in front of a camera wearing nothing but well-placed props, but they pulled it off with absolute class. From Celia’s famous buns to footballs and hurls, every scene was executed with confidence and comedic timing. The chemistry among the cast was undeniable—this felt like a real group of lifelong friends rallying together for something bigger than themselves.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀

Emer Donnelly took home the Best Female Actor award for her portrayal of Annie, and deservedly so. She had the audience utterly gripped, taking us through Annie’s journey from the deep love she shared with John, to the gut-wrenching moment she thought he was leaving her, to the crushing realisation of his illness. The raw emotion in her performance was palpable—every moment, every tear, and every flicker of pain and strength was felt by the audience.

Chris, played by the brilliant Sinead Power, was a force of nature. As the fearless mastermind behind the calendar, she drove the plan forward with determination, hilariously nonchalant in moments of crisis—none more so than when she calmly landed the comedy line: “I bought it in Bergins Shop” The kitchen scene, where she convinces the girls to go ahead with the idea, was a masterclass in comedic delivery.

Yvonne Brennan as Marie delivered a performance full of poise and precision. A true ICA devotee, Marie’s every word, every pause, and every withering look let us know exactly where she stood. Her internal battle—longing to be part of the calendar but bound by her self-imposed ICA principles—was played to perfection. And then there was Trudy (Michaela Hölzner), who started as Marie’s ever-loyal sidekick but stole the moment when she confidently declared herself as ‘April,’ her defiant look at Marie saying more than words ever could.

And as for Celia—what a casting coup. After an exhaustive search including 120 auditions, only one person could do this role justice, and my, did she deliver. A woman of confidence, her self-declaration that her “tremendous, the best in the parish” assets were calendar-worthy was nothing short of iconic.

Jessie (Sinead Conway) may have had a brief role, but she made it count. Her deadpan delivery of “I won’t be showing my front bum—that’s reserved for one man in my life”, swiftly followed by a perfectly timed, “And I never said it was my husband,” had the audience in bits.

Niall Sutton as John had only a short time on screen, but his role was crucial. The moment he revealed his illness to Annie was poignant and deeply moving—a scene that truly anchored the emotional weight of the film.

Joe McIlduff, at first glance, seemed like he’d wandered in from Derry Girls, but he quickly won us over, especially with the furstration in his voice as he roared: “Don’t touch the composition. Don’t touch the buns!” (Not that anyone listened). Tasked with keeping the giggling, wine-fuelled ladies in check during the photoshoot, his exasperation was nothing short of hilarious.

And for many in the parish, one thing is certain—they’ll never look at an iced bun with a cherry on top the same way again.

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲

The depth of talent in this production extended far beyond the leads. Ciara Kennedy’s May was both an excellent performer and a relentless marketer, managing to work Nurney Farm Organics into more scenes than seemed possible. Even more impressive, however, was her baby daughter, Freya—by far the best-behaved girl at every ICA meeting, sitting quietly and watching on as if she genuinely cared about rugs and broccoli.

The judges, played by Theresa Flood and Linda Nolan, brought their own charm to the film. Theresa’s warm welcome at the cake judging was the perfect setup for Linda’s moment of indecision as she tried to gauge whether Chris was serious about her store-bought entry. The hesitation, the lingering glance—it was a comedic gem.

And then there was the trio of Cora (Rachel Cribbin), Ruth (Louise Waters), and Kathy (Ruth Bergin)—each adding their own touch to the camaraderie of the group. Whether subtly delivering perfectly timed remarks, reacting with knowing looks, or blending seamlessly into the lively dynamics of the ICA, they brought warmth and authenticity to the film. Their performances had a natural ease, never feeling forced, always adding to the effortless chemistry that made this film feel so real.

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀

This wasn’t just a film—it was a triumph. A production that balanced emotion with comedy, tenderness with boldness, and tradition with rebellion. Every single person on that screen gave it their all, and it showed. A well-deserved Best Film nominee, and a performance that will be talked about in the parish for years to come.

Fair play if you’ve read this review through to the end – hadn’t realised it was getting so long!