Mickybo and Me

{{Infobox film

| name = Mickybo and Me

| alt =

| caption =

| director = Terry Loane

| producer = Mark Huffam
Michael McGeagh

| writer = Terry Loane

| based_on = {{Based on|Mojo Mickybo|Owen McCafferty}}

| starring = John Joe McNeill
Niall Wright
Julie Walters
Ciarán Hinds
Adrian Dunbar
Gina McKee

| music = Stephen Warbeck

| editing = Scott Thomas

| cinematography = Roman Osin

| studio = StudioCanal
Working Title Films
Irish Film Board
Northern Ireland Film & Television Commission
WT² Productions
Moving Picture Company

| distributor = Universal Pictures

| released = {{Film date|2004|08| |Edinburgh|2005|3|25|Ireland and United Kingdom|df=y}}

| runtime = 95 minutes

| country = Northern Ireland
United Kingdom

| language = English

| budget = $5 million{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388154/|title=Mickybo and Me|date=25 March 2005|via=imdb.com}}

| gross = £172,336

| image = Mickybo and Me VideoCover.jpeg

}}

Mickybo and Me is a 2004 Northern Irish comedy-drama film written and directed by Terry Loane and based on the stage play Mojo Mickybo by Owen McCafferty. The film was produced by Working Title Films, and released by Universal Pictures.

Plot

An eight and a nine-year-old boy living in Belfast during The Troubles, one Catholic, one Protestant, become friends. They are obsessed with the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and dream of robbing banks and emigrating to Australia.{{cite web|url=http://www.sundancechannel.com/films/500010285|title=Sundance Channel}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thezreview.co.uk/reviews/m/mickyboandmeedfilmfest.htm|title=Mickybo and Me Movie Review by Gary Gray, Z Review}}

Although the boys are from completely different backgrounds, they bond quickly. After watching the film together, they take on the characters' personas. Later, believing that they will get blamed for an old man's death, they go 'on the run,' trying to escape to Australia.

Their journey towards the ferry (which they believe will carry them to Australia) is a series of misadventures, including a 'bank robbery', riding a horse/ponies, a fire in a stable, escape from a police car. Once re-apprehended by the police, they did discover they had crossed the Irish border.

Upon their return, one of the boy's fathers is killed in a sectarian-related shooting, driving a wedge between them. In the closing scene, 30 years later, Mickeybo opens a large envelope from Jonjo, which contains the toy sheriff's star and a photo of him with his family living in Australia.

Cast

John Joe McNeill as Michael "Mickybo" Boyle
Niall Wright as John "Jonjo" Wright
Julie Walters as Mickybo's mother
Ciarán Hinds as Jonjo's father
Adrian Dunbar as Mickybo's father
Gina McKee as Jonjo's mother
Brendan Caskey as "Gank"
Charlie Clarke as "Fartface"
Michael McElhatton as the Mechanic

Release

Irish Film Festival of New Zealand{{cite web|url=http://www.otago.ac.nz/irish_studies/film/index.html|title=Irish Film Festival, University of Otago, NZ|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015180902/http://www.otago.ac.nz/irish_studies/film/index.html|archivedate=15 October 2008}}
Edinburgh International Film Festival, 2004{{cite web|url=https://www.variety.com/profiles/Film/main/167561/Mickybo%20and%20Me.html?dataSet=1|title=Variety}}

Ireland: Nationwide Cinema Release April 2005

Awards

;Wins

• Best Irish Film in Big Buzz Ireland Entertainment Awards 2005.

• Best Feature Film in the Boston Irish Film Festival 2005.

• Audience Award at the Schlingel International Children's Film Festival, Chemnitz, 2005.

• The CIFEJ Award for Best Film & Children's Jury Award for Best Film in the OULU International Film Festival 2005.

• Best Children's Film, Tiburon International Film Festival, USA, 2006.

• Grand Prix (International Jury) and Grand Prix (Children's Jury), Buster Film Festival, Copenhagen 2006.

• Best Director, Olympia International Youth Film Festival, 2006.

• Best Film, Olympia International Youth Film Festival, 2006.

• Audience Award - Best Film at the Titanic International Film Festival, Budapest 2007.

• Best Costume Design, Irish Film and Television Awards 2005

;Nominations

Shortlisted for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Film, Edinburgh International Film Festival, 2004.
Best Film, Irish Film and Television Awards 2005
Best Screenplay for Film, Irish Film and Television Awards 2005
Breakthrough Talent, Terry Loane, Irish Film and Television Awards 2005
Best Production Design for Film, Irish Film and Television Awards 2005
Best Film, Austin Texas Film Festival 2005