White Irish Drinkers (2011)

In the gritty, amber-hued backdrop of Brooklyn, 1975, a tale of sibling rivalry, blue-collar dreams, and hidden talents unfolds in the movie 'White Irish Drinkers.' Brian Leary (Nick Thurston), an 18-year-old artist, finds himself caught in a world of petty crimes alongside his rough-around-the-edges older brother Danny (Geoff Wigdor). Their lives are woven into the fabric of a working-class neighborhood, where the prospect of a steady 9-to-5 job and lazy retirement is the pinnacle of ambition. Haunted by the specter of his abusive father Paddy (Stephen Lang) and the disheartening reality of his friends' aspirations, Brian seeks refuge in his art. Beneath his parents' apartment, in the basement of a bagel shop, he escapes into a world of charcoal and watercolor, portraying the stifling city that cages him. His is a sanctuary of creativity, where the echoes of his parents' shouting matches and the brutal beatings Danny endures at the hands of their father fade into the background. Brian's only other respite lies in working for Whitey (Peter Riegert), a lovable curmudgeon managing the struggling Lafayette movie theater. To help Whitey repay his debts to the local mobster Jimmy Cheeks (Ken Jennings), Brian devises a plan to bring in rock groups for theater gigs. When the financial pressure escalates, Whitey pins his hopes on a favor from an old friend, the tour manager of the Rolling Stones. The Stones' brief hour-long stop at the Lafayette on their way to Madison Square Garden is expected to solve Whitey's financial woes once and for all. The neighborhood is abuzz with anticipation, and the excitement emboldens Brian to approach the beautiful Shauna Friel (Leslie Murphy), a travel agent dreaming of a glamorous job in Los Angeles. Shauna and Brian's college-bound friend Todd plant seeds of hope in his mind - his art could be his ticket out of Brooklyn, his escape from a dead-end life. However, when a particularly violent beating from Paddy pushes Danny to his breaking point, he concocts a scheme to rob the Lafayette on the night of the Rolling Stones concert. Seeing it as their only chance to start afresh, Danny tries to enlist Brian's help. As the theater fills with eager audience members, Brian faces a heart-wrenching dilemma - to choose between his loyalty to Danny and his affection for Whitey. The events of the night force the brothers to reassess their dreams and make decisions that will forever alter their lives. 'White Irish Drinkers' paints an evocative picture of struggle, aspiration, and the intricate bonds of family in a world where the weight of tradition often clashes with the desire for change.

White Irish Drinkers is a drama movie featuring Stephen Lang.

White Irish Drinkers is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on FILMRISE, Freevee, Plex, Plex Player and The Roku Channel.

It is also possible to buy White Irish Drinkers on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Microsoft Store and Vudu.