AN IRISH actor has criticised the 'out of touch' performance of Eve Hewson in new Irish film Flora and Son, saying it makes him feel 'uncomfortable'.
Hewson, daughter of U2's Bono, has been winning plaudits for her performance in the movie, which currently has a 93 per cent Fresh rating on review aggregator site, Rotten Tomatoes.
However, Dublin actor Joseph McGucken, star of RTÉ Player comedy Darren and Joe's Free Gaff, described the 32-year-old's performance as 'borderline offensive'.
Praise from critics
In the movie, from Once writer and director John Carney, Hewson plays a struggling mum trying to keep her wayward son out of trouble in Dublin by gifting him a guitar she finds in a skip.
However, she takes up the instrument herself, learning online thanks to a Los Angeles-based musician, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
The Guardian praised the 'immensely charming' Hewson for a 'star-cementing performance', while the New York Times lauded her 'extraordinary charisma'.
Flora and Son star Hewson, centre, with (from left) co-stars Jack Reynor and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, director John Carney and co-star Orén Kinlan (Image: Leon Bennett/Getty Images)Meanwhile, Variety said Hewson had 'star quality spilling right out of her'.
"Suddenly, her stardom seems more than a hope — it feels inevitable," it added.
McGucken, however, was less impressed.
There's something very uncomfortable about watching Bono's daughter playing a working class, single mother, from the flats, in her new film Flora and Son.
I know its made to tailor to an American audience, but my god. It's a shocking, out-dated, out of touch performance! pic.twitter.com/8QzOnbMKUf
— Joe McGucken (@JosephMcgucken) October 3, 2023
"There's something very uncomfortable about watching Bono's daughter playing a working-class, single mother from the flats, in her new film Flora and Son," he posted on Twitter.
"I know it's made to tailor to an American audience, but my god. It's a shocking, out-dated, out of touch performance!"
He added: "It's borderline offensive. A caricature of the working class without the humour. Exacerbated by co-star Jack Reynor (who you know is definitely working class because, yeno... he wears a chain)."
"The only saving grace for this film was Oren Kinlan," concluded McGucken. "The only actor that looked comfortable on screen throughout the whole thing."
Love/Hate star defends Hewson
Love/Hate actor Laurence Kinlan responded to McGucken over his 'piss poor take' by saying: "Are people from the flats only allowed play people from the flats?"
He added: "It’s called ACTING. Do you know how many people 'from the flats’ were in Love Hate?"
"Nothing to do with her being from the flats or not," replied McGucken.
“It's objectively not a good performance.
"It's a crass, tasteless, over-acted, ham-fisted performance. I like her in bad sisters though.
"I understand it's hard for you to see it objectively for obvious reasons."
Despite McGucken's reservations, critics and audiences have been impressed with Hewson and the movie, which premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
Apple Studios subsequently snapped up the film's distribution rights for around $20m.
It is currently available on the company's streaming service, Apple TV+ and in selected cinemas.
