Don’t characters in movies ever watch movies themselves? Well, apart from the characters in Quentin Tarantino and Kevin Smith movies. If they did, they would know that, no matter how broke they are, or how hard desperation’s stranglehold is upon them, you do not take up the plan to smuggle drugs for a scary underworld criminal. You just don’t do it. Just like selling off your laserdiscs of the original, untampered with Star Wars trilogy, you just don’t do it. But, I guess, fortunately for us, movie characters are often wearing Bad Idea jeans and as a result we benefit from their entertaining mishaps. Such is the case with Dublin crime comedy “Headrush” where the entertaining mishaps are available en masse.
In order to make a bundle of cash to fund their irresponsibility, two stoner buddies decide to smuggle cocaine back from Amsterdam to Dublin for The Uncle, that scary underworld criminal I spoke of earlier and who is played by Steven Berkhoff (nice to see Victor Maitland is as sleazy as ever). The two stoners whip up a complicated scheme in order to keep themselves as free from danger of being busted as possible when crossing back over from Amsterdam with the drugs. This involves a couple of elderly folks accompanying them over to Amsterdam and unknowingly carrying back the cocaine in one of their souvenirs. Of course the plan goes awry at every step of the way and our two stoners find themselves hunted down by cops, drug dealers and one violently angry Uncle.
In the same vein of movies like Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, “Headrush” is a hard-edged rollercoaster crime comedy overflowing with unsavory characters and situations and you may get the feeling that you’ve seen this all before. But you know what? It’s entertaining. Can’t really complain about that.
