''Goldfish Memory'' is a 2003 feature film about everyday relationships, set and filmed in Dublin. It was written and directed by Elizabeth Gill.

Plot

The movie is set around a small group of characters experiencing relationships which build and crumble before the viewers' eyes. The title of the film refers to the belief, expressed by several of characters, that the goldfish retains a memory of something for only three seconds. Tom, one of the principal characters in the film, draws comparisons between this and the human tendency to jump from one relationship to the next, "forgetting" the pain that any previous one might have caused. The film shows complexities involved in straight, gay, lesbian, and bisexual relationships. Writer/director Liz Gill says the film was influenced by the work of directors

Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was a five-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director and is considered an enduring figure from the New H ...

and

Richard Linklater Richard Stuart Linklater (; born July 30, 1960) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for films that revolve mainly around suburban culture and the effects of the passage of time. His films include the comedies '' ...

, particularly Linklater's film ''

Slacker A slacker is someone who habitually avoids work or lacks work ethic. Origin According to different sources, the term ''slacker'' dates back to about 1790 or 1898. "Slacker" gained some recognition during the British Gezira Scheme in the earl ...

''.

Cast

* Sean Campion as Tom *

Fiona O'Shaughnessy Fiona O'Shaughnessy is an Irish film, stage, and television actress. Early life O'Shaughnessy was born in Galway. Her family moved to Reading, Berkshire, when she was 9. She returned to Galway a decade later where she pursued a career in the ...

as Clara * Fiona Glascott as Isolde * Peter Gaynor as David * Keith McErlean as Red * Stuart Graham as Larry * Lise Hearns as Rosie *

Jean Butler Jean Butler (born March 14, 1971) is an American stepdancer, a master of Irish Dance, choreographer, and actress. She is best known for originating the principal female role in the Irish dance theatrical production ''Riverdance''. In January 20 ...

as Renee * Justine Mitchell as Kate * Aisling O'Neill as Helen * Demien McAdam as Conzo * Flora Montgomery as Angie * Joe Keever as Eddie the Cameraman * Britta Smith as Mrs. Devine * Niall O'Brien as Taxi Driver

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack acted as something of a showcase for the Irish alternative music scene of the time. Alongside relatively established bands like

The Frames The Frames are an Irish rock band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six studio albums. In addition to Hansard, the band's current line-up in ...

and

The Walls The Walls are an Irish rock band. They were formed in 1998 by two ex-members of The Stunning – brothers Steve and Joe Wall. Their debut album ''Hi-Lo'' was released in 2000 and included the singles "Bone Deep", "Something's Wrong" and "Som ...

, it also featured up and coming acts like

Rodrigo y Gabriela Rodrigo y Gabriela (Rodrigo and Gabriela) are a Mexican acoustic guitar duo whose music is influenced by a number of genres including nuevo flamenco, rock, and heavy metal. The duo's recordings consist largely of instrumental duets on the fl ...

, Nina Hynes and

Messiah J and the Expert Messiah J & The Expert are a rapper/producer duo based in Dublin, Ireland. Career The Stonecutters and Creative Controle They originally met at a Scratch Perverts instore in 1999 and became part of a seven-strong collective, The Stonecutt ...

. Four songs by the legendary Brazilian Bossa Nova composer

Tom Jobim Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in '' Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

were remade for the movie, three of which ('

Once I Loved "Once I Loved" ("O Amor Em Paz") is a bossa nova and jazz standard song composed in 1960 by Antônio Carlos Jobim, with lyrics by Vinícius de Moraes.Severiano, Jairo, and Zuza Homem de Mello ''A canção no tempo: 85 anos de músicas brasileiras, v ...

', ' Waters of March' and '

Desafinado "Desafinado" (a Portuguese word, usually rendered into English as "Out of Tune", or as "Off Key") is a 1959 bossa nova song and jazz standard composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim with lyrics (in Portuguese) by Newton Mendonça. Background "Desafin ...

') were performed by

Damien Rice Damien George Rice (born 7 December 1973) is an Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He began his career as a member of the 1990s rock group Juniper, who were signed to Polygram Records in 1997. The band enjoyed moderate success ...

with

Lisa Hannigan Lisa Margaret Hannigan (born 12 February 1981) is an Irish musician, singer, composer, and voice actress. She began her musical career as a member of Damien Rice's band. Since beginning her solo career in 2007 she has released three albums: ''S ...

(vocals) and Vyvienne Long (cello). The other ('Lamento No Morro') was performed by Richie Buckley.

Critical reaction

Peter Bradshaw Peter Bradshaw (born 19 June 1962) is a British writer and film critic. He has been chief film critic at ''The Guardian'' since 1999, and is a contributing editor at ''Esquire''. Early life and education Bradshaw was educated at Haberdasher ...

, writing in ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...

'', described ''Goldfish Memory'' as a "forgettable" and "vapid relationship comedy, reminiscent of the sponsorship ads that wrap around the commercials during TV's '' Friends''".

References

External links