Pure Mule: The Last Weekend reunites many of the much-loved characters of the original series set in a community now in economic freefall. Written by Eugene O’Brien, directed by Declan Recks and produced by Accomplice Television, The Last Weekend finds Scobie (Garrett Lombard) with his bags packed for Australia and Jennifer (Charlene McKenna) back in town for a family funeral with a new boyfriend in tow (JJ Feild). It also stars Dawn Bradfield, Simone Kirby, Gail Fitzpatrick, Orla Fitzgerald and Liam Carney.
A critical success when the original series aired over six episodes in September 2005, Pure Mule also proved to be a big hit with viewers, culminating in an audience of 437,000 for the final episode. It won five IFTAs, including Best Actress for Dawn Bradfield and Best Director for Declan Recks.
Pure Mule: The Last Weekend was shot entirely in the midlands for four weeks in June and July this year.
Synopsis
Scobie (Garrett Lombard), once a skilled labourer, is now a security guard on an abandoned building site. With no real employment prospects, he’s already booked on a flight to Australia to join his brother and hopefully start a new life. But he’s not sure he’s ready to leave home. He’s still someone in this town. He has a comfortable, casual relationship with single mother Julie (Orla Fitzgerald) and he’s still popular with the ladies, although younger local buck Dean (Diarmuid Noyes) seems to be stealing his thunder more and more lately.
The weekend Scobie is due to depart, Jennifer (Charlene McKenna) suddenly returns to the town after a four year absence in England, to bury her mother. Jennifer has brought her boyfriend of two years Tom (JJ Feild), the Englishman who helped her get her act together after some dark times in London.
Scobie’s doubts about leaving grow, much to the consternation of his mother Angela (Gail Fitzpatrick) and her boyfriend Cliff (Liam Carney).
CREW BIOS
Eugene O’Brien – Writer
Eugene was an actor for ten years before writing the play EDEN, which debuted in the Peacock Theatre, transferred to the Abbey main stage and subsequently played in the West End of London. The play has been translated and performed throughout Europe and America and recieved numerous awards. His second play SAVOY also debuted in the Peacock Theatre. Eugene has written three plays for the radio and wrote the TV show PURE MULE for RTE and adapted his play EDEN into a feature film for Samson Films in 2008.
Declan Recks – Director
Since graduating from Ireland’s National Film School with the award winning short film BIG SWINGER, Declan has directed some of the top rated shows on Irish Television including the critically acclaimed PURE MULE and THE RUNNING MATE. His first feature film EDEN – written by Eugene O’Brien – was premiered at the 2008 Jameson Dublin International Film Festival and has since been screened at over 40 film festivals worldwide, including the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in New York, where lead actress Eileen Walsh was awarded the Best Actress Award. The film was released theatrically in the US in late 2008 and is now being sold internationally by Highpoint Films.
CAST BIOS
Garrett Lombard – Scobie
Originally from Gorey, Co. Wexford, Garrett graduated from the Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College Dublin in 2000. Garrett’s film and television credits include PURE MULE (Accomplice TV/RTE, for which he was nominated for an IFTA for Best Actor), LOVE IS THE DRUG (Saffron Pictures/RTE), ALEXANDER (dir. Oliver Stone), THE FRONT LINE (dir. David Gleeson) and ROUGH DIAMOND (BBC1/RTE). Garrett most recently appeared in ALL MY SONS directed by Robin Lefevre at the Gate Theatre, Dublin.
Charlene McKenna – Jennifer
Originally from Monaghan, Charlene appeared in the leading role of Jennifer in PURE MULE the hit TV mini-series written by Eugene O’Brien for RTE2/Accomplice Television. Other recent television credits include PROSPERITY (Element/RTE), SINGLE HANDED, STOLEN CHILD (Touchpaper/RTE), KITCHEN (Ecosse Films/Channel 5), THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP (ITV). She was simultaneously nominated in the Best Actress (Television) category in the Irish Film and Television Awards 2009 for her roles in RAW (Ecosse/RTE) and WHISTLEBLOWER (Saffron/RTE); she won for RAW but then picked up a Golden Nymph for her performance in WHISTLEBLOWER at the Monte Carlo Television Festival. Her film credits include Neil Jordan’s BREAKFAST ON PLUTO, John Boorman’s A TIGER’S TALE, Brian Kirk’s MIDDLETOWN and Niall Heery’s SMALL ENGINE REPAIR, and DOROTHY MILLS, directed by Agnes Merlet.
JJ Feild – Tom
JJ’s recent television credits include NORTHANGER ABBEY (Channel 4), THE RUBY IN THE SMOKE (BBC1), THE SHADOW IN THE NORTH (BBC1), WAKING THE DEAD (BBC) and THE SECRET LIFE OF MRS. BEETON (BBC 4). His recent film work includes TELSTAR, BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE, K19 – THE WIDOW MAKER, O JERUSALEM, and JJ has just completed filming Neil Marshall’s CENTURION with Dominic West and Michael Fassbender.
Orla Fitzgerald – Julie
Film and television work includes THE MAN IN THE ROAD (dir. George Milton), LAW AND ORDER (ITV), HOLBY BLUE (BBC), TART (Underground Films), THE LAST FURLONG (RTE), THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY (dir. Ken Loach) – for which Orla received an IFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress, THE BABY WARS (ITV), SPEED DATING and LOVE IS THE DRUG (RTE).
Liam Carney – Cliff
Liam has worked extensively in film and television, and on stage. Television credits include: GLENROE, BALLYKISSANGEL, HIDE & SEEK, SHARPE, THE AMBASSADOR, JJ BIKER, THE CLINIC, PURE MULE and SINGLE HANDED. Film favourites are: THE COMMITMENTS, BRAVEHEART, WHEN THE SKY FALLS, ANGELA’S ASHES, GANGS OF NEW YORK and SPIN THE BOTTLE. Other film credits include: FAR AND AWAY, THE BOXER, SPEED DATING and shorts: THIRST, OCRAS and MARTIN.
Gail Fitzpatrick – Angela
Television work includes the original series of PURE MULE (dirs. Declan Recks, Charlie McCarthy), WHISTLEBLOWER (dir. Dermot Boyd), THE RUNNING MATE (dir. Declan Recks), FATHER TED, THE CLINIC and FAIR CITY. Film credits include TRIAGE (dir. Danis Tanovic), STRENGTH AND HONOUR (dir. Mark Mahon) – IFTA Nomination Best Supporting Actress, EVELYN (dir. Bruce Beresford) and WHEN THE SKY FALLS (dir. John MacKenzie).
Dawn Bradfield – Deirdre
Dawn has worked consistently in all the major theatres in Ireland. Her film work includes KING ARTHUR and DISCO PIGS, and her television work includes THE RUNNING MATE, THE CLINIC, PURE MULE, BALLYKISSANGEL and FATHER TED. In 2005, she won the IFTA for Best Actress in Television for PURE MULE. She was also nominated for the IFTA for Best Supporting Actress for THE CLINIC in 2008.
Diarmuid Noyes – Dean
Film and television work includes: THIS IS NIGHTLIVE (RTE), THE TUDORS (HS Prods), FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN (BBC), SAVAGE (SP Films), SITUATIONS VACANT (Faster Prods), PROSPERITY (Element Pictures) and FAIR CITY (RTE). Theatre work includes the recent stage adaptation of THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin.