Synopsis

Boston political aide Marcy Tizard travels to Ireland to trace her senator's family roots and help win Irish-American votes. She arrives in Ballinagra during its annual matchmaking festival, where local matchmakers introduce her to a succession of bachelors. Her skepticism begins to fade after she meets Sean Kelly, a sharp-tongued bartender whose complicated personal life threatens their unexpected romance.

Factoids & Trivia

• The MatchMaker was released in 1997 by Gramercy Pictures, with Working Title Films and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment among its production companies.

• Filming took place in Roundstone, County Galway. The production also used the Aran Islands and the prehistoric site of Dun Aengus, giving the comedy a strong sense of place beyond its village setting.

• Ballinagra is a fictional village. Its Irish name, Baile na Gra, translates roughly as "Town of Love," an appropriate setting for the matchmaking festival.

• The film's political subplot draws on the family history of Senator John Kerry, whose paternal grandfather came from Eastern Europe and adopted a new name after arriving in the United States.

• Irish traditional music is woven throughout the film. The soundtrack includes "Haunted" by Shane MacGowan and Sinead O'Connor, while Van Morrison and The Chieftains' "Irish Heartbeat" plays over the end credits.

• The film was made on a reported $7 million budget and earned approximately $6 million worldwide.

• Roger Ebert awarded the film three out of four stars, praising the central performance and the Irish setting while finding the Boston portions less effective.

• In a 2003 interview, Janeane Garofalo named The MatchMaker among the few films from her career with which she was especially pleased.