“I’m in character as an arrogant jock,” Jason confesses with disarming honesty, his pierced ears catching the dim light of a Halloween party. This moment of self-aware vulnerability sets the tone for Donncha Gilmore’s remarkable debut feature, a film that begins with the familiar rhythm of young romance and evolves into something far more complex. Set against Dublin’s neon-soaked Halloween landscape, Girls & Boys follows Trinity College students Charlie, a trans aspiring filmmaker with a passion for gothic horror, and Jason (Jace), a rugby player who studies business and exists somewhat uncomfortably within his prescribed social role.
Their connection begins in the college library and deepens at an abandoned house party where Charlie’s Super 8 vampire film projects across crumbling walls. What follows recalls the wandering intimacy of Before Sunrise, as two strangers drift through a city at night, sharing confidences and building trust. Gilmore crafts these early sequences with remarkable gentleness, allowing conversations to breathe and connections to form organically. The film’s initial sweetness and naturalistic approach mask a deeper complexity that emerges as the evening progresses, setting up a narrative shift that tests both characters and audience expectations.
Performances That Ring True
Liath Hannon brings a fascinating combination of steel and vulnerability to Charlie, creating a character who remains guarded yet genuinely curious about connection. Her portrayal reveals someone who has learned to protect herself while still remaining open to possibility. The Super 8 camera becomes an extension of Charlie’s inner life, a tool for both artistic expression and emotional distance. Hannon handles this complexity with remarkable maturity, avoiding the pitfalls of either sentimentality or defensive posturing.
Adam Lunnon-Collery’s Jason presents a different kind of complexity. His performance captures the awkwardness of someone who appears to fit a conventional mold but feels increasingly uncomfortable within its constraints. The warmth and charm that define his surface personality mask deeper uncertainties about his place in the world. Lunnon-Collery excels at conveying this internal tension without overplaying it, creating a character who feels genuinely conflicted rather than simply misunderstood.
The chemistry between these newcomers forms the film’s emotional core. Their conversations feel unscripted and lived-in, building intimacy through shared silences as much as spoken words. Both actors navigate the film’s tonal shifts with impressive skill, maintaining their characters’ essential humanity even as the story moves into darker psychological territory. Supporting character Mark, played by Oisin Flynn, provides effective contrast to Jason’s gentler nature, highlighting the performative aspects of masculine identity that the film explores.
Visual Poetry and Atmospheric Craft
Donncha Gilmore demonstrates remarkable assurance for a debut feature, particularly in his handling of mood and pacing. The director allows scenes to unfold naturally, trusting his performers and his material enough to let conversations develop without artificial acceleration. Long takes capture the gradual intimacy between Charlie and Jason, while pillow shots of Dublin’s Halloween-transformed streets create breathing room that enhances rather than interrupts the narrative flow.
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Cinematographer Fionnuala McCormack transforms Dublin into a dreamscape of blurred neon and romantic shadows. The Halloween setting provides perfect cover for the film’s fairy-tale atmosphere, where ordinary streets become stages for extraordinary connection. The integration of Super 8 footage throughout adds textural depth to the visual palette while serving character development, particularly in how it reflects Charlie’s artistic perspective on the world around her.
The soundtrack deserves special recognition for its contribution to the film’s ethereal atmosphere. Irish artists including Echo Northstar, NewDad, and Banríon create a musical landscape that feels both contemporary and timeless, supporting the romantic elements without overwhelming the intimate scale of the story. Gilmore’s previous experience with shorts, ranging from Irish-language musicals to horror pieces, clearly prepared him for this confident debut that balances technical craft with emotional authenticity.
Memory, Identity, and the Stories We Tell Ourselves
The film’s structural shift from romantic comedy to deeper psychological exploration occurs through a narrative twist that reframes everything that came before. This change in direction opens space for examining how we construct our identities and the stories we tell ourselves about our past actions. Jason’s comfortable self-image as “the good guy” faces a significant challenge, forcing him to confront aspects of his history that he may have unconsciously reshaped to preserve his sense of moral clarity.
Gilmore uses this revelation to explore broader themes about memory’s unreliability and the shame that can accompany honest self-examination. The film questions how societal expectations shape our desires and choices, particularly around issues of sexual identity and authentic connection. These discussions unfold through character development rather than explicit dialogue, allowing the audience to engage with complex ideas through emotional investment in the characters’ growth.
The film’s brief running time becomes both strength and limitation. While the compact structure maintains focus and prevents overexplanation of its themes, it leaves certain psychological territories unexplored. The balance between romantic charm and deeper analysis works effectively within these constraints, creating a piece that satisfies as both character study and meditation on the nature of genuine attraction. Gilmore’s approach to these weighty themes remains grounded in human behavior rather than abstract philosophy, making the film’s insights feel earned rather than imposed.
“Girls & Boys” is a 2025 Irish romantic drama film. It had its release in Ireland on September 5, 2025. It was distributed by Break Out Pictures and Sentioar.
Full Credits
Director: Donncha Gilmore
Writers: Donncha Gilmore
Producers: Gearóid Gilmore
Cast: Liath Hannon, Adam Lunnon-Collery, Francis O’Mahony, Oisin Flynn
Director of Photography (Cinematographer): Fionnuala McCormack
Editors: Donncha Gilmore, Colin Campbell, PJ Moloney
Composer: Josh Reichental
The Review
Girls & Boys
Girls & Boys succeeds as both intimate romance and psychological character study, anchored by two exceptional debut performances and Gilmore's confident direction. The film's willingness to shift from gentle romance into darker thematic territory pays off handsomely, creating a work that lingers in memory. While its brief runtime occasionally feels restrictive, the film's emotional honesty and technical craft mark it as a standout debut that announces genuine filmmaking talent.
PROS
- Outstanding naturalistic performances from both leads
- Atmospheric cinematography that transforms Dublin into a romantic dreamscape
- Thoughtful exploration of identity, memory, and authentic connection
- Confident directorial debut with excellent pacing and mood control
- Effective use of Super 8 footage and strong Irish soundtrack
CONS
- Brief runtime leaves some psychological depths unexplored
- The narrative twist may strain credibility for some viewers
- Supporting characters could be more fully developed
- Certain thematic elements could benefit from deeper examination
