`Sweety Barrett'

Sir, - David Fay (May 4th) seems to be unsure why he dislikes the film Sweety Barrett so intently

Sir, - David Fay (May 4th) seems to be unsure why he dislikes the film Sweety Barrett so intently. He says that "it's difficult to know if Sweety Barrett is meant to be a comedy, tragedy, whimsy or whatever." In the next sentence he says it failed to raise a single laugh with the audience. Anyone who has had to sit through the likes of Batman & Robin or A Night at the Roxbury knows real cinematic tosh and drivel when they see it and Sweety Barrett is definitely not in this category.

Mr Fay seems not to have been impressed by the excellent performances of Liam Cunningham, Andy Serkis, Tony Rohr, Lynda Steadman and Dylan Murphy. Inparticular, as the corrupt detective Liam Cunningham was reminiscent of Lee Marvin at his most menacing. The cinematography of Thomas Mauch was atmospheric and is some of the most impressive seen in recent cinema. Sweety Barrett was anything but predictable and I would wholeheartedly concur with your critic Michael Dwyer and hail it as an "auspicious debut" for writer/director Stephen Bradley. - Yours, etc.,

Martin Walshe, Upper Kilmacud Road, Stillorgan, Co Dublin.