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Friday, 5/30/97 Another Trip to Barrytown FILM: Author Roddy Doyle's favorite neighborhood returns to the big screen with the movie version of the last installment of the Barrytown trilogy, 'The Van.'

By Brandon Wilson Daily Bruin Staff Director Stephen Frears bounces back from the debacle of "Mary Reilly" with a very different film about the Irish. Rounding out the Barrytown trilogy written by Irish novelist Roddy Doyle, "The Van" features much of the humor, characterizations and humanity that marked the trilogy's first two installments, "The Commitments" (directed by Alan Parker) and "The Snapper" (also directed by Frears). Also returning is actor Colm Meaney, known stateside for his role as Chief O'Brien in the "Star Trek" shows, who makes his third appearance in the Barrytown trilogy. Don't think you shouldn't see "The Van" if you haven't seen one or both of the previous chapters, because even though Meaney has been the patriarch in all three films, each film is centered around a different family in the same fictitious Dublin neighborhood of Barrytown. Meaney's characters have been different in each film, but they ultimately are the same likable everyman, and having Meaney portray them all underlines that point (even though this is a different family from the one in "The Snapper," the eldest daughter in "The Van" has an infant child in keeping with the last film). Set at the close of 1989, the story opens in a pub as Bimbo Reeves (played by Donal O'Kelly) reels from the shock of being sacked from his job. Bimbo has been lifelong friends with Larry (Meaney), a good-natured bloke who, like many in the pub, is out of work and on the dole. Not one for passivity, Bimbo sets out to find employment, even if it's at a fast-food parlor. Then one night, Bimbo receives inspiration while eyeing a Vietnamese catering truck. He'll buy a van, and sell fish and chips, burgers and whatever else he can think of to fry. Sharing his brainchild with Larry, Bimbo makes his good friend a business partner. Larry christens the vehicle with the logo "Bimbo's Burger's." Now all they need is a van. As the buddies contend with the most dilapidated and downright cruddy vehicle on the Emerald Isle, they get it ready in time for the 1990 World Cup, in which Ireland is a contender. Don't expect any major plot twists or Hollywood-style contrivances (no government spy is going to hide a floppy disk in the van to start a high tension chase). This is simply a film about people, with all the comedy, foibles and insights of everyday folk. The humor can be subtle (definitely not for Jim Carrey fans). Also, it may take some getting used to the rhythms of this distinct culture, but it's clear that Doyle, Frears and company have a lot of affection for the Barrytown denizens they're bringing to life. The only major plot development is the inevitable strain that running the van together puts on Larry and Bimbo's friendship. Meaney and O'Kelly are completely convincing as old friends, and both realize their characters beautifully. When conflict erupts, neither is truly contemptible for their actions. They're simply having it out the way old friends do, and capturing that on screen is not as easy as it looks. Frears works well with longtime collaborators cinematographer Oliver Stapleton and editor Mick Audsley, and Eric Clapton makes a welcome contribution to the film's soundtrack. "The Van" might seem an odd entry to the American film market right now, as braying dinosaurs tear up the box-office records. And while there's always a place for spectacle at the movies, it is truly a treat to see a film like "The Van," which simply takes a look at the comedy and tragedy of day-to-day life. As summer begins, do yourself a favor and see something without special effects or explosions, at least once. Because in the end, any film that can give you a slice of life, be at once specific (to a certain time and milieu) and universal, and successfully chronicle the peaks and valleys of friendship has pulled off a grander feat than digital technology can ever muster. Grade: B+ FILM: "The Van" opens today. Fox Searchlight Pictures Colm Meaney stars as Larry, Donal O'Kelly as Bimbo and Brendan O'Carroll as Weslie in Stephen Frears' "The Van" Fox Searchlight Pictures Ger Ryan, Colm Meaney, and Ruaidrhri Conroy star in the third instillment of Fear's trilogy, "The Van" Fox Searchlight Pictures Colm Meaney and Donal O'Kelly star as a couple Irish men going into business in "The Van"

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