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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Paddy the Next Best Thing remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you are the kind of person who enjoys tracking down obscure pre-Code dramas just to see how Hollywood used to view Ireland, you might find some charm here. Everyone else? You’ll probably hate how much Paddy screeches and how the whole plot feels like it’s held together by duct tape and sheer willpower. ☘️
Janet Gaynor is really working overtime here. She spends half the movie running around trying to be the most annoying person in the room so the man she likes will actually notice her. It’s a bold strategy, I guess.
The whole setup with the sister marrying for money feels like something out of The Little Minister, but with way less actual stakes. You never really feel like the dad is going to end up in the poorhouse, honestly. It’s just kind of… there.
I found myself thinking about The Museum halfway through, wondering if the props in this movie were just leftovers from a bargain bin. There's a certain emptiness to the sets that makes the whole thing feel like a stage play that forgot to hide its seams.
Wait, did she just kick him?
Yes, she did. There’s a weird amount of physical comedy that just doesn't land. It feels less like a charming romance and more like a playground fight. It’s definitely not as smooth as The Phantom Carriage, but nobody expected that anyway.
Sometimes the movie gets noticeably better when Paddy stops talking. There are these quiet moments near the stone walls where the lighting actually does some heavy lifting. It’s almost a good movie in those exact spots.
Then someone starts shouting about money again and the magic just poofs away. It’s a strange little relic, truly. Keep your expectations low and you might survive the runtime. 🤷♂️
