Rotten Tomatoes
Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Once Upon a Time in a Cinema

Play trailer Poster for Once Upon a Time in a Cinema 2026 Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
Tomatometer 3 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
ONCE UPON A TIME IN A CINEMA is set in a small-town cinema during one eventful Friday night screening from hell. Over the course of one evening, the film follows the travails of beleaguered cinema owner Earl Clancy (Colin Morgan) as he faces a myriad of disasters, any one of which could sink him. Drawing from writer/director David Gleeson's own experience growing up in a family of cinema owners where his father's 78-year career marked the longest in the cinema business in Ireland, if not the world, this film is a love letter to a peculiarly Irish cinema experience, which was as much about connecting with people as it was about the movie.

Critics Reviews

View More
Peter Bodie Film Ireland Magazine 5d
A heart-warming nostalgic recreation of a time gone by, Once Upon A Time In A Cinema is a story to be dived into. Embrace the popcorn - and the moment - and sit back and enjoy. Go to Full Review
Bren Murphy RTÉ (Ireland) 6d
4/5
It’s clear Once Upon a Time in a Cinema was made with a lot of passion and love. Go to Full Review
Chris Wasser Irish Independent 6d
3/5
...Once Upon a Time in a Cinema is intentionally broad and undeniably cartoonish, the kind of film they used to make all the time in this country. Familiar and old-fashioned, you’ll know exactly where this thing is headed. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews
Once Upon a Time in a Cinema

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Movie Info

Synopsis ONCE UPON A TIME IN A CINEMA is set in a small-town cinema during one eventful Friday night screening from hell. Over the course of one evening, the film follows the travails of beleaguered cinema owner Earl Clancy (Colin Morgan) as he faces a myriad of disasters, any one of which could sink him. Drawing from writer/director David Gleeson's own experience growing up in a family of cinema owners where his father's 78-year career marked the longest in the cinema business in Ireland, if not the world, this film is a love letter to a peculiarly Irish cinema experience, which was as much about connecting with people as it was about the movie.
Director
David Gleeson
Producer
Nathalie Lichtenthaeler, Judy Tossell
Screenwriter
David Gleeson
Production Co
Wide Eye Films, Screen Ireland
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English