10. Mickybo And Me (2004)
A film from Northern Ireland this time, Mickybo and Me is set in 1970 - one of the worst years in terms of atrocities committed in the Troubles and civil disruption. The film concerns the adventures of two young friends - one a Catholic named Mickybo and the other one a Protestant Jonjo. They have a mutual love of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and they dream of leaving war torn Belfast behind for the sunny and peaceful climes of Australia. The acting between the two young leads is superb and director Terry Loane does a fine job of portraying the Troubles at that particular junction of time but not letting it totally overshadow and dictate the main thrust of the film which is the boys' attempts to travel to Australia. Religion is also not rammed down our throats, which makes a big difference. We focus instead on two charming young lads who are ably supported by a big name cast featuring Julie Walters and Adrian Dunbar. The film was shown around the world to great acclaim in film festivals. It is a terrific viewing experience if you come from Northern Ireland because it transcends divisions and is not politically heavy handed in either direction.