A porter bonds with a guest.


PORTER is used with permission from Barry McNamara. Learn more at https://charmerpictures.ie.


Danny works as a porter at a hotel. Smart and young, he's unable to go to college after graduating, so now he spends his days tending to guests' luggage, helping out in the hotel restaurant and even unclogging toilets in the rooms. It's a mundane, tedious and sometimes distasteful job, but Danny soldiers on, occasionally connecting with guests.

He particularly tends to one guest, an older man named Ger and his wife Fiona. Danny is busy scrambling around with all his duties, which increasingly stresses him out and gets him upbraided by his coworkers. Eventually, his hard work is recognized by the people he serves, and he learns to see and appreciate the opportunities in front of him.

Directed by Jo Halpin and written by Barry McNamara, who also plays the lead role of Danny, this short comedy is a character portrait of a young man seemingly caught in a deadend, often menial job, one that seems below his capabilities and energies. Much of the action tracks the busyness of his duties, ranging from the bustle of managing luggage to the more disgusting task of dealing with "upper deckers," all captured with a wry, naturalistic eye for the mundanity of the work and the comical absurdity of it all.

Danny's varied activities provide a panoramic view of the staff, behindthescenes goingson and general machinery that keeps the small hotel humming. Most guests don't bother to chat with him, but when he isn't answering the constant work requests, Danny slowly builds a rapport with one longtime guest, Ger, who arrives on a trip with his wife Fiona. The couple have been coming to the hotel for some time, but Fiona is losing her memory and now gets disoriented.

It takes time for Ger and Danny's bond to come into view, as the writing and storytelling takes efforts to capture Danny's work environment, with its personalities and bustling action. Danny is played by McNamara with a conscientiousness and an increasing level of irritation, so he almost doesn't even notice Ger's interest in him. But Ger, played by actor Des Keogh with warmth and wisdom, notices the young man, who reminds him a little of himself. He offers Danny some understanding and empathy when he needs it most, which in turn prompts Danny to extend his own kindness and generosity.

The natural development of a connection between young and old unfurls with an understated warmth, which pays off in a funny, warmhearted gesture that makes for a final surprise and delight in PORTER. Beyond perhaps helping us appreciate the often invisible work of those that keep our travels and lives running smoothly, it speaks to how even the most seemingly casual bonds can have great resonance, and how we can make a difference in one another's lives.