On the Edge (2001)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

John Carney

Writers:

John Carney (writer)
Daniel James (writer)

Release Date:

21 September 2001 (Ireland)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

On the Edge is about suicidal patients discovering their true selves while going through therapy in a treatment center.

Plot Keywords:

Suicide | Suicidal | Stolen Car | Mental Health | Suicide Attempt

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Martin Carney	...	Priest
Paul Hickey	...	Mikey
Camille O'Sullivan	...	Mikey's Wife
Cillian Murphy	...	Jonathan Breech
Vincent Walsh	...	Bouncer
Vinny Murphy	...	Bouncer
Mary Murray	...	Maria
Gavin Coleman	...	Maria's Boyfriend
Patrick Murray	...	Joyrider
Stephen Rea	...	Dr. Figure
Aidan Kelly	...	Patient in Recreation Room
John Burke	...	Patient in Recreation Room
Anna Manahan	...	Cat Woman
Des Smith	...	Patient with Cup
Judy Cameron	...	Woman Playing Piano

Also Known As:

Catch the Sun (USA) (working title)
The Smiling Suicide Club (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some disturbing images and sexual content, and for some drug material.

Runtime:

Argentina:85 min

Country:

Ireland

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR | DTS

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | Iceland:12 | Argentina:16 | Germany:12 | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:MA (cable rating)

Filming Locations:

Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Company:

Blank Page Productions

Quotes:

[after Toby has killed himself]
Jonathan: You can never really know what was going through a person's mind at that exact moment. If they survive, they'll never tell you. If they succeed, all you can do is spend the rest of your life feeling guilty. You're only concern can be for the people they leave behind. They're the ones to look out for.

Soundtrack:

God Kicks

Suicide Group

After the death of his alcoholic father, Jonathan Breech (Cillian Murphy) steals the urn with his ashes from the house of his brother and drives a robbed car off a cliff to commit suicide. However her survives and accepts an alternative sentence of three months in therapy in a psychiatric hospital with a suicide group under the supervision of Dr. Figure (Stephen Rea). He befriends the disturbed Rachel Row (Tricia Vessey), who saw her mother dying in an accident, and Toby (Jonathan Jackson), who accidentally killed his brother in a car crash. During the treatment, the sarcastic Jonathan changes his behavior and sees the importance of being alive.

"On the Edge" explores an unusual theme - the behavior of persons that have survived a suicide attempt. However, the plot fails since it is pointless and the motives of the lead character to try to commit suicide are never clear: does he miss his alcoholic father, or is he simply a crazy disturbed young man? On the contrary, the motives of Rachel and Toby are very clear. The acting is great, with the exception of Stephen Rea, who has a weak performance in the role of a passive psychiatrist that does not seem to help his patients. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Beira da Loucura" ("On the Edge of the Madness")