I’ve been looking forward to the Irish film Zonad since the festival began. There’s something inherently appealing about a nice, fun flick about a rehab escapee posing as an intergalactic spaceman who pulls the wool over quintessentially naïve and trusting townsfolk eager for a little excitement. Our story begins with a celestial event – a comet. The 160+ people of Ballymoran, Ireland, gather at a party to watch the flaming hunk of rubble hurtle past as they speculate on the existence of life on other planets. When the Cassidy family arrives home, they’re shocked to find a man dressed in red latex, passed out on their living room floor.
Convinced he is a visitor for places beyond, the Cassidy’s welcome Zonad (Simon Delaney) into their home, their refrigerator and, eventually, their beds. As the first spaceman the town has ever met, Zonad becomes instantly popular, especially with the women. Both young Jenny Cassidy (Janice Byrne), frustrated by her lack of sexual experience – despite repeated attempts to throw herself at boyfriend Guy (Rory Keenan) – and her mother (Donna Dent) turn to Zonad for affection.
Zonad lives the highlife as the local, out-of-this-word celebrity. That is, until Bonad – Zonad’s rehab cohort – arrives claiming to be Zonad’s superior officer. After having Zonad cast out of town, Bonad sets up office in Jenny’s bedroom; and the bedrooms of women all over Ballymoran. It’s not until Zonad joins forces with Jenny’s hapless boyfriend Guy that Zonad is at last able to challenge Bonad’s supremacy.
Convinced he is a visitor for places beyond, the Cassidy’s welcome Zonad (Simon Delaney) into their home, their refrigerator and, eventually, their beds. As the first spaceman the town has ever met, Zonad becomes instantly popular, especially with the women. Both young Jenny Cassidy (Janice Byrne), frustrated by her lack of sexual experience – despite repeated attempts to throw herself at boyfriend Guy (Rory Keenan) – and her mother (Donna Dent) turn to Zonad for affection.
Zonad lives the highlife as the local, out-of-this-word celebrity. That is, until Bonad – Zonad’s rehab cohort – arrives claiming to be Zonad’s superior officer. After having Zonad cast out of town, Bonad sets up office in Jenny’s bedroom; and the bedrooms of women all over Ballymoran. It’s not until Zonad joins forces with Jenny’s hapless boyfriend Guy that Zonad is at last able to challenge Bonad’s supremacy.
Filled with cliché music and Pleasantville-esque sentiments, Zonad is a fun, quirky and entertaining film that’s sure to appeal to all viewers. Challenging assumptions about what is socially acceptable and socially responsible, Zonad highlights the power of believing, even if what you believe in is a lie.Have your own close encounter at The Plaza on Saturday, October 2 at 9:15pm.
