An Irish movie with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes is airing on TV tonight

The film saw a famous Irish comedian make his acting debut.

The 2022 comedy drama follows Eileen (Seána Kerslake, A Date for Mad Mary), a sardonic university dropout whose dreams of a successful life in London have died.

Back at home in Belfast with her mum and pregnant sister, she is trying to make ends meet by working as an unlicensed driver in her ex-boyfriend's minicab.

Every week, she takes a booking from Shane (Kielty), a man in his 40s.

Bruised by the recent breakdown of his marriage, he is attempting to rebuild himself through stand-up comedy.

As the two spend time together on the road between Belfast and Shane's home in the Co. Down village of Ballywalter, shuttling back and forth over several months, the two lost souls form an unlikely connection, helping each other confront their demons.

Directed by Prasanna Puwanarajah (Too Much) and written by Stacey Gregg (Here Before), Ballywalter earned rave reviews, with critics singling out its two lead performances and "bittersweet" story for praise.

JOE spoke to Kielty and Kerslake ahead of the movie's release in cinemas.

The comedy-drama was made during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking about this, The Late Late Show host told us that he found that the "real difficult part" of making the film was the limits on socialisation during the shoot.

"Most people that work on a movie set, not in Covid, you do your take, and then you go for a drink, and you can become pals," the comedian said.

"For us, the real difficult part of this film was that we would come in, we'd do our bit, you'd [Kerslake] go to a hotel, I'd drive back to my house in County Down. We wouldn't see each other!

"And then you'd come back in, and the next place you'd see each other would be right on that set again."

Kerslake pointed out, however, that this probably actually helped with the finished project, as this way of shooting mirrored the relationship between her and Kielty's characters in the comedy-drama.

Ballywalter is airing on TV tonight on RTÉ One at 10.10pm. The film is also available to rent on Apple TV, Google Play, IFI@Home, Rakuten TV and the Sky Store.

Here are the other films airing on TV tonight:

White House Down - Virgin Media One - 9pm

This might be a hot take, but we enjoy this Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx action flick better than the similarly plotted Olympus Has Fallen.

Just Friends - Sky Max - 9pm

In this well-liked comedy, Ryan Reynolds plays a formerly unpopular teen turned super buff record producer who returns to his hometown as a successful man, but quickly reverts to his dorkier ways when surrounded by family and past crushes.

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande - Film4 - 9pm

This well-liked comedy drama explores the relationship between a retired school teacher (Emma Thompson) and a young sex worker (Ireland’s Daryl McCormack).

Gods of Egypt - Legend - 9pm

The critically panned fantasy action flick starring Gerard Butler and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

Haywire - Legend - 9pm

The 2011 action thriller with a star-studded supporting cast that we've recommended many times before.

Sudden Impact - ITV4 - 9pm

The Clint Eastwood action thriller that we also recommended recently.

Jaws - RTÉ2 - 9.25pm

Steven Spielberg's legendary shark thriller.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - TG4 - 10pm

Mission: Impossible - Fallout - Film4 - 10.55pm

Easily one of the best action movies of the 21st century.

Drive Hard - Legend Xtra - 10.55pm

In this direct-to-video action buddy flick, a professional thief (John Cusack) takes a former race car driver (Thomas Jane) hostage and forces him to drive his getaway car.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show - BBC Two - 11.05pm

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