Mary Goes Round

McGlynn's quiet approach may be admirable, but it falls awkwardly between two stools, proving itself neither dramatic enough nor fun enough to raise up the drunken Mary.

With her soulful brown eyes and subtle expressions, Cash perfectly conveys the sense of a woman putting on a brash front who cannot quite disguise the melancholy inside.

Mary Goes Round justifies its existence and excels through the good, old-fashioned virtues of writing, directing and acting.

The film's expected uptick at the end feels earned, coming with the message that looking beyond one's own borders might reveal the path to happiness.