Michael is a 24-year-old who has cerebral palsy and long-term resident of the Carrigmore Residential Home for the Disabled, run by the formidable Eileen. His life is transformed when the maverick Rory O'Shea moves in.
Acting
McAvoy's Rory is pure electric chaos—every scene he steals, then breaks your heart.
Writing
Actually centers disabled actors and voices; rare for 2004, still rare now.
Director
Damien O'Donnell
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Steven Robertson, who has cerebral palsy, was cast after an open call—his first film role. McAvoy spent months learning Robertson's specific physicality rather than generic 'disability acting.'
The film sparked real policy debates in Ireland about institutional living; Carrigmore was based on actual residential homes where residents had no legal right to leave.
IE
US
