John Carney Movies: Top 4 Performances by a Successful Director

A boy growing up in Dublin during the 1980s escapes his strained family life by starting a band to impress the mysterious girl he likes.

Gretta, a budding songwriter, finds herself alone after her boyfriend Dave ditches her. Her life gains purpose when Dan, a record label executive, notices her talent.

Zonad (Simon Delaney) is from space…probably. Or so the Cassidy family assume when they discover an apparent alien in a shiny red space suit and helmet passed out on the living room floor beside the drinks cabinet. The Cassidys and the people of Ballymoran make the intriguing visitor feel very welcome (and in the case of mother Mary, Donna Dent, and teenage minx Jenny, Janice Byrne, they make him feel very welcome indeed). At first, Zonad tries to evade the warm welcome of the villagers, although the procession of wanton women and free beer gets the better of him. Why give up on a good thing?

A suicidal young man is committed to a Dublin psychiatric hospital where he meets new friends who greatly influence his life.