Irish react badly to accents in Wild Mountain Thyme starring Jamie Dornan and Emily Blunt
The upcoming Irish romantic comedy is getting a big reaction on social media.
The cast is superb (Jamie Dornan, Emily Blunt, Christopher Walken and Jon Hamm) and the writer/director John Patrick Shanley won an Oscar for Moonstruck, but the trailer for new romantic comedy Wild Mountain Thyme is being badly received – especially in Ireland.
The film is set in County Mayo, Ireland, and The Fall star Dornan is from Country Down in Northern Ireland, which hasn't spared him tough criticism on social media.
Wild Mountain Thyme is the story of Anthony (Dornan), a farmer who works with his bitter and unforgiving father (Walken), who threatens to sell the family farm to his American cousin Adam (Mad Men star Hamm).
Shy and worn down, Anthony doesn’t notice that childhood friend Rosemary (Girl on a Train star Blunt) has feelings for him, despite being ignored and sidelined by him. Adam appears to have designs on her too.
Meanwhile, their families are at war due to a long-running land dispute...
Wild Mountain Thyme is based on Shanley's 2014 Broadway play Outside Mullingar. But all the reaction has focused on the accents of the international cast.
The trailer seems to have excited the indignation of many Irish film fans. "Oh. My. God. This is up there with Tom Cruise in Far & Away for worst attempts at an OIRish accents ever."
The theme continued. "Oh Jesus! The Oirish accents, Americans thinking Muldoon is a typical Irish name, Jamie Dornan playing an Irishman playing an American playing an Irishman (the accent). I'll be giving it a bypass."
Many reactions suggested that the producers of Wild Mountain Thyme had missed an opportunity to employ Irish actors in the leading roles.
One person joked: "This is a hate crime against Irish accents. Including Jamie Dornan."
Guardian critic Lucy Mangan tweeted: "I am only managing about ten seconds of the Wild Mountain Thyme trailer per attempt and my thoughts and prayers are with all actual Irish people at this difficult time".
Wild Mountain Thyme opens in cinemas and streams on demand from 11th December.
While you’re waiting visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight, or check out our guide to new TV shows 2020 to find out what's airing this autumn and beyond.
