This highly original film put screenwriter-director Neil Jordan on the international map. The story begins at a carnival in Ireland with British soldier Jody (Forest Whitaker) kidnapped by IRA terrorists Jude (Miranda Richardson) and Fergus (Stephen Rea). Fergus is assigned to guard Jody, and they become friends. After the kidnapping goes horribly wrong, Fergus escapes to London to track down Jody's girlfriend, Dil (Jaye Davidson), to fulfill a promise to Jody and ends up falling in love with her. The only problem--well, it's not the only problem--is Jude has also come to London with news that the IRA is after Fergus and has a dangerous new mission in mind.
cast
Forest Whitaker as Jody
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Dil: Got you the multivitamins and the iron tablets, hon.
Fergus: Don't call me that.
Dil: Sorry, love. Now, the white ones are magnesium supplement.
Fergus: Stop it, Dil.
Dil: I've got to keep you healthy, Jimmy. I'm counting the days. Two thousand three hundred and thirty-four left.
Fergus: Thirty-five.
Dil: I'm sorry, darling. I keep forgetting the leap year. What am I supposed to call you then, Jimmy?
Fergus: Fergus.
Dil: Fergus. Fergus my love, light of my life.
Fergus: Please, Dil.
Dil: Can't help it. You're doing time for me. No greater love, as the man says. Wish you'd tell me why.
Fergus: As the man said, it's in my nature.
At an amusement park in Northern Ireland, English soldier Jody (played by Forest Whitaker) has a good-looking local girl on his arm. They go off to be alone and suddenly Jody finds there are three men holding guns on him. The IRA has kidnapped Jody. They will kill him if the IRA prisoner held by the English is not released. Jody is brought to a hiding place. There he begins the slow task of picking out one of his captors and trying to make him an ally. He chooses Fergus (played by Stephen Rea). Jody shows Fergus a picture of his girlfriend Dil (played by Jaye Davidson). Little do Jody, Fergus, and Dil know how the one action has bound them together.
