MEAWW.COM / ENTERTAINMENT / MOVIES

'Wild Mountain Thyme': Farcical Irish accents have shocked fans asking if the dialect coaches are OK

Irish fans who were really, really looking forward to the niche genre film with a gigantic star cast took things to Twitter and did what they do best: dragged the director's defense to the streets

As if Mary Poppins being smitten over Christian Grey wasn't horrific enough, John Patrick Shanley's new film 'Wild Mountain Thyme' has reportedly absolutely butchered the Irish accent. And that is a cardinal scene. Why? Because starring at the focal point of the story is Emily Blunt and Jamie Dornan, some of the UK's finest and most popular Hollywood faces. And if them doing a far from pleasing job of the accent wasn't bad enough, director Shanley defended their terrible attempt at the accent saying if they went the authentic way, nobody would understand them at all. So Irish fans who were really, really looking forward to the niche genre film, with a gigantic star cast, took things to Twitter and did what they do best: dragged the director's defense to the streets and mocked everything about the picturesque cheese-fest. 

For those wondering what this romance drama is all about, it's a classic girl next door falls for the handsome neighbor who's too manly to not be aloof to the girl's emotions. The IMDb official synopsis details, "A pair of star-crossed lovers in Ireland get caught up in their family's land dispute." But there isn't much star crossed about their love except that Dornan's Anthony is oblivious to Blunt's Rosemary's blatant emotions for him. Add to the mix, Anthony's father Tony (Christopher Walken) who wants to bestow his entire fortune and family business to his American nephew (Jon Hamm), and thus comes out the most stereotypical romance ever. 

When there's not much meat to the plot, one would rely on the picturesque and aesthetic landscape of Ireland to find something to hold on to, and of course - the Irish accent. But 'Wild Mountain Thyme', as people had pointed out at the trailer's first look, vehemently and unabashedly butchers the Irish accent. In that, although Blunt has addressed in interviews how difficult it is to master the accent, some viewers believe they aren't even close to mastering it at all. And then director Shanley added his two cents about how illegible the Irish accent can get for American fans. And that has seemed to rile up Irish fans even worse.

For example, a social media critic tweeted: "Wild Mountain Thyme is coming out in 5 days and I'm highly curious if the Irish accent is just as bad as the one in the trailer." Another addressed the accent writing: "My Irish friends have told me from the trailer that the WORST accent is Jamie Dornan (from Belfast) and it is American bait rubbish because "Wild Mountain Thyme" is a traditional Scottish song." A third one quipped "They clearly didn't have enough in the #WildMountainThyme budget to pay for Irish accent training for poor old #ChristopherWalken, dear lord, this made my morning." And another brought in comparisons: "Between Benedict Cumberbatch's terrible American accent (what region is that?!) in THE MAURITANIAN trailer, and all of the accents in the WILD MOUNTAIN THYME trailer, I'd like ask these dialect coaches, "You okay?"" Even the Dublin Airport, the National Leprechaun Museum, and Jason Isaacs have criticized the accent so far.

But others were more heated about what Shanley had to say. In an interview with Variety, Shanley addressed the accent controversy saying how he told Blunt, "I’m not making this movie for the Irish. If you try to get the Irish to love you, no good will come of it. I’m making this movie for everybody else and all the people who want to go to Ireland." And it just did not sit right with social media. "As if the movie wasn't insult enough. The director basically said the Irish accent is too difficult to understand, "You have to make the accent more accessible to a global audience."" Another pointed out "@JohnJpshanley Now claims the insulting negative stereotype accent is because no one can understand Irish accents. Colm Meaney, Liam Neeson, Bono, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Brendan & Donal Gleeson Best you quit acting. Apparently you can't be understood." And of course, someone tweeted to Blunt, remarking: "it's hard to master the Irish accent" - Emily Blunt. Hate to break it to you pal, didn't master it. #WildMountainThyme".

'Wild Mountain Thyme' will be available to buy or rent on-demand from Friday, December 11.