Audiences will not be disappointed by Re-inventing Eddie. With a strong intelligent story, told simply and beautifully, solid characters and superb acting, films do not get much better than this feature length dark comedy-drama from the UK.

The central character Eddie (John Lynch) is a doting, zany, father - the type that children love. He and his wife Jeanie (Geraldine Somerville) bring up their two young children with frankness and honesty. But the trouble starts when the authorities suspect that Eddie's daughter is being molested by her father. An investigation starts, Eddie is forbidden any unsupervised contact with his children and his friends and workmates begin to wonder whether he actually is the sick pervert that social services think he is.

Eddie, of course, is totally innocent and the crisis plunges him into despair and threatens his future with his family.

Given the fact that many children are genuinely at risk, the premise of this film (essentially the question `what if parents are unfairly victimised by the system meant to protect children?') is quite timely and has enough emotional resonance to keep any audience engaged.

Writer/director Jim Doyle's treatment is near perfect. The film is well structured yet unpredictable as viewers are drawn into every moment. Re-inventing Eddie is quirky, touching, cute, funny and wrenching all at once and should do well with the BIFF judges this year. Show Time: Wednesday, April 17 at 6.30 p.m. at Little Theatre.

@EDITRULE:

Supporting short: My Other Wheelchair is a Porsche directed by Ravi Kumar .

The preceding short My Other Wheelchair is a Porsche is not nearly as impressive. About a physically disabled boy's sexual awakening, this short has potential as a longer piece, I suppose. But in its present form it lacks a strong conflict and I found it only slightly entertaining. It is, however, beautifully shot and moody.

Ayo Johnson