Top Irish movies to stream over Christmas, including 'Redemption of a Rogue' and 'Handsome Devil'

Irish films often punch well above their weight both with critics and at the box office.

IT’S CHRISTMAS EVE and many people will be looking forward to putting their feet up over the festive season with a good movie.

Here’s ten Irish films that are available to stream over Christmas, and where to find them.

Redemption of a Rogue

The first feature length film from playwright Philip Doherty, Redemption of a Rogue won Best Irish Film and Best Irish First Feature Award at the 2020 Galway Film Fleadh.

In this dark comedy, a prodigal son returns to Cavan to see his estranged father just before he dies. It turns out his father left a will warning that should his body be buried on a rainy day, the son will be disinherited.

Cue a Biblical deluge of rain that just won’t stop.

Starring Cavan native Aaron Monaghan, Redemption of a Rogue is available to stream on Netflix.

The Young Offenders

Written, directed, and co-produced by Peter Foott, The Young Offenders has an Irish Film & Drama Award for Best Film Script under its belt and is also available on Netflix.

In this comedy, two teenage boys from Cork steal bicycles and ride off on a quest to find a missing bale of cocaine worth €7 million.

The film has been compared to The Inbetweeners by some critics, but “with a kinder, gentler wit”.

The Journey

The St Andrew’s Agreement was hailed by then Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain as an “astonishing breakthrough”.

‘The Journey’ is a fictionalised account of the relationship of DUP leader Ian Paisley and Sinn Féin’s chief negotiator Martin McGuinness during the political negotiations that led to the 2006 agreement.

With talks in the balance, the sworn enemies who would go on to be known as the “Chuckle Brothers” are forced to take a car journey together.

Starring Timothy Spall as Paisley and Colm Meaney as McGuinness, and available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Handsome Devil

Set in a fictional Irish, all-boys boarding school modelled on Castleknock College and Blackrock College, the film is seen through the eyes of Ned.

He seems to be the only student at the school who does not enjoy rugby, and he is then assigned a new roommate who is a star rugby player.

Though they are initially wary of each other, the duo soon form a close friendship, with a particular interest in music.

An LGBTQ+ coming of age story, but with the unique twist that the relationship between the two male leads is one of friendship rather than a romantic one.

Featuring Andrew Scott, the film is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video.

Deadly Cuts

Four stylists in a Dublin hair salon become accidental vigilantes as they take on a local gang threatening their community.

A black comedy that’s a cut above the rest, it’s available on Netflix.

The Guard

Irish buddy cop comedy that sees an unorthodox garda with a confrontational personality teamed up with an uptight FBI agent.

The most successful independent Irish film in terms of Irish box-office receipts, it stars Brendan Gleeson alongside Don Cheadle.

Directed and written by John Michael McDonagh (brother of Martin McDonagh), it’s available now on Netflix.

You are not my Mother

In a North Dublin housing estate, Char’s mother goes missing.

When she returns, her mother is radically changed and Char is determined to uncover the truth of her disappearance and unearth the dark secrets of her family.

This 2021 psychological horror film written and directed by Kate Dolan is available on Netflix.

Once

Singer-songwriter Glen Hansard stars in this modern musical set in Dublin.

It’s about a busker who strikes up a friendship with an immigrant and tells the tale of their eventful week together as they write, rehearse and record songs that tell their love story.

It’s gone on to receive critical acclaim and even won an Oscar for Best Original Song with ‘Falling Slowly’.

Available on Netflix.

The Siege of Jadotville

Starring Jamie Dornan, this Netflix Original is billed as an Irish-South African production.

It’s based on Declan Power’s book, ‘The Siege at Jadotville: The Irish Army’s Forgotten Battle’.

Power is a former Irish Army soldier, and the book and film is about an Irish Army unit’s role in the titular Siege of Jadotville during the United Nations Operation in the Congo in September 1961.

The battle scenes are described as an “impressive spectacle” and it’s available on the aforementioned Netflix.

Hard Times

A once-booming, small Irish town that’s famous for its Holy Well falls on hard times and offers little in the way of employment.

When group of friends come up with a plan to hijack a consignment of Viagra and sell it on the open market in Amsterdam, they don’t count on the muscular response of Viagra’s makers.

In a panic, they hide the load of Viagra down the town’s Holy Well.

Available to stream on Netflix.