A Date for Mad Mary

A Date for Mad Mary, directed by Darren Thornton and adapted from Yasmine Akram's one woman stage play, is an Irish film starring Seána Kerslake as "Mad" Mary, who returns home after a short prison sentence. When her best friend refuses to let her bring a plus one to her wedding, Mary sets out to find a date, only to form an unexpected emotional connection with the wedding photographer. The film had its world premiere at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival; it won Best Film at the Irish Film and Television Awards and Best Irish Feature at the Galway Film Fleadh. The film holds a 94 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Who it's for: anyone curious about a comedy drama where a woman's search for a wedding date turns into an unexpected love story, a sweeper at Ireland's major film awards. Who it's not for: viewers looking for a predictable, conventional romantic comedy, since the film takes an unexpected turn centered on the character confronting her own identity.