A feel-good coming-of-age film based on the popular novel by Ferdia Mac Anna set in 1977 Dublin, The Last of the High Kings casts a young Jared Leto as a Dublin teenager. Leto plays Frankie Griffin, a rock ‘n’ roll loving teenager who in the post-leaving cert summer, only wants to hang out with his friends and win the attention of local women, principally Protestant Romy Thomas (Emily Mortimer) much to the disdain of his politicised mother, played brilliantly by Catherine O’Hara. He is set right by visiting American cousin Erin (Christina Ricci), who teaches him the values of following his own dreams, principally when it comes to his family’s demands. Stephen Rea, Gabriel Byrne, and Colm Meaney all make appearances, with director David Keating offering a pleasingly upbeat journey through the experiences of Ireland’s youth set to the soundtrack of Thin Lizzy.