"Ups and Downs"

 2017 * Not Rated * 59m  Take a road trip theme, mix in some Northern Irish, add a generous amount of Down's Syndrome, stir in some comedy and you'll  end up with a charming, sweet movie called "Ups and Downs". If you're in the mood for something a bit different, then you're going to love this little indie gem. 

Conal (James Martin) is a 22-year old Northern Irish lad with Down's Syndrome. He lives with his younger sister Gemma (Rosie Barry) and his mom Fionnula (Susan Lynch). Both he and his deceased dad were big fans of the heavy metal band Ash. One day he tricks his sister into going with him to Belfast to hear them in concert. Naturally, nothing goes according to plans, which is what makes this such a fun movie. Of course as soon as his mom discovers he's missing, she's in hot pursuit of her two children. 

I loved just about everything about this movie. The acting, storyline, writing, and scenery were all great. Mr. Martin was absolutely captivating--he seems like a very cool kid. About the only negative is it was a bit hard to understand the dialogue at times. Maybe I should have watched it with subtitles. 

4 out of 5 stars

Currently streaming for free on Kanopy.com (with your library card) and YouTube.