The Wise Guy | BFI Film Academy RecommendsThe Wise Guy | BFI Film Academy Recommends

Irish coming-of-age comedy-drama...

The Wise Guy is the debut feature from writer-director Sam O’Mahony and tells the story of Francis Burns (Senan Jennings), a lonely boy (and devout atheist) who, desperate for guidance and protection, finds an unconventional mentor hiding in the nearby woods; an American Gangster (Darrell D’Silva).

Combining distinctly Northern Irish razor sharp wit with a wickedly funny vocabulary of cine-literate references (rooted in 80s and 90s gangster films), The Wise Guy is an immensely entertaining and strikingly poignant coming-of-age story.

Courtesy of Out of Orbit.

Sam O’Mahony | United Kingdom | 2024 | 87 mins

BFI Film Academy Recommends delivered by Nerve Centre are short and feature film recommendations for young, aspiring screen creatives aged 16–25. Supported with National Lottery funding.