Matthew Briody goes back to school for indie romance Girls & Boys.
A chance encounter at a Halloween party leads to unexpected revelations in Donncha Gilmore's feature debut Girls & Boys. Over the course of one lingering night, Charlie (Liath Hannon) and Jace (Adam Lunnon-Collery) forge something intimate and meaningful as they wander the streets of Dublin City.
Throughout his filmography, Gilmore has focused on telling stories about people from different worlds being drawn together. From the connection between electronic dance producer Jasper and acoustic singer-songwriter Kim Little in his debut short Caring is Creepy to the romance between street artist Duke and blind barista Luna in Gilmore's Irish-language short Bonsoir Luna, there is heart throughout his work, and Girls & Boys follows suit.
Charlie and Jace are both students at Trinity College but, on the surface, this is all they have in common. As a creative and a trans woman, Charlie is studying film; she is figuring out her perspective on the world while Jace’s focus is on the tangible world of business. He is popular, a charming athlete who plays rugby. Despite their intense spark, their budding relationship is challenged by a number of forces. Jace is prompted to question the aspects of his own identity he has kept buried over the years. This is all compounded when Mark (Oisin Flynn), one of Jace's teammates, makes their relationship the target of his aggression.
Bustling metropolises like New York, London and Paris are so often depicted on the big screen. Dublin does not feature as much. However, in this film, it is captured so cinematically. The city is a character itself. The local landmarks dazzle: the bold neon of the Convention Centre pierces the night sky and shines through the vast expanse of darkness. On their intimate dates, as Charlie and Jace share a drink, the harp of the Samuel Beckett Bridge is lit behind them. Charlie herself is an observer too. She captures everything around her, armed with a Super 8 camera, documenting the Quays, the Ha’penny Bridge, the O’Connell Monument, the Spire and O’Connell Street. This cityscape sets an ideal scene for romance.
The early years of college are a unique time, full of new experiences and important decisions. With his debut feature script, Gilmore has captured a truth to this world through dialogue and exchanges between students. There is awkward small talk at college parties, false bravado, as well as the eternal student question of “what are you studying?” It is so relatably depicted, and “Freshers” has never felt fresher on screen.
Visually, Gilmore and DOP Fionnuala McCormack create both a sense of intimacy and urgency; the camerawork is fluid and vibrant, mirroring the frenetic energy of a night out in the capital city. The use of diegetic music and sound is powerful. The score is composed of some of the most talented up-and-coming Irish artists. Two standout tracks, Fooling Interlude and Sugar Water by Banríon, a wonderful four-piece indie rock band from Dublin, are must-haves for playlists of discerning music fans.
In the central roles of Charlie and Jace, Liath Hannon and Adam Lunnon-Collery work wonderfully together. Their chemistry is magnetic. This is Adam Lunnon-Collery’s feature debut, and he brings emotional depth and nuance to Jace. In the subtext beneath his dialogue, Lunnon-Collery uses every facial expression to capture meaning.
For many of the on-screen talent this marks a first. Francis O’Mahony is brilliant as Charlie's best friend Alice. Her presence serves as a grounding force for Charlie while providing dramatic tension as the story unfolds. Meanwhile, Oisin Flynn brings an antagonistic energy to Mark, yet presents a multifaceted character as opposed to a one-dimensional adversary.
The standout here, however, is Liath Hannon. Her performance perfectly embodies both strength and vulnerability. It is with this complex warmth that Hannon ensures Charlie is a character the audience roots for. While a prominent theatre actor and writer herself, Hannon only has two short film credits prior to this, but she shines as the centre of the film.
This film is bathed in nostalgia for classic 90s indie cinema. Charlie and Jace's connection is reminiscent of Jesse and Céline in Richard Linklater's Before Trilogy or Su Li-zhen and Chow Mo-wan in Wong Kar-Wai's In the Mood for Love. With a pitch-perfect central pairing, sharp dialogue, beautiful visuals and essential subject matter, Girls & Boys is simply a cinematic must-see.
Girls & Boys is in cinemas on 19th September 2025.