Glassland 2016

John is a financially struggling taxi driver in Dublin, navigating a life filled with chaos and despair. He lives with his mother, Jean, who is on a destructive path of drinking herself into oblivion. His daily reality strikes a tragic note when he finds her comatose in her own vomit and hastily drives her to the hospital for urgent care. Though she recovers temporarily, this cycle of drunkenness remains unbroken. If only he could find a way to change it all.

In his spare moments, John juggles his time between seeking more driving jobs, spending time with his only friend, and enduring heated arguments with his mother over her alcoholism. He also cares for his younger brother, who has Down syndrome and resides in a care home that accommodates children with disabilities. Determined to reclaim some semblance of control, John takes drastic steps by removing all alcohol from their living space and pleading with his mother to quit drinking. Instead, he is met with fury as she shouts at him and shatters plates, all while he quietly documents the meltdown on video.

The emotional strain intensifies when John anxiously scours the neighborhood for his mother, eventually finding her intoxicated on their doorstep. Lacking any alternative, he invites her to revel alongside him. He stands by, unmoved, as she indulges in drinking and dancing in the kitchen, confessing her deep-seated regrets. She reveals a painful truth: their father abandoned the family when John’s brother was born, and she has always perceived him as a burden rather than a human being. In stark contrast, Jean cherishes John as her “precious child” who consistently searches for her, even after her husband’s departure left her feeling perpetually isolated, with only alcohol for solace.

With an emotional outburst, John persuades her to enter a treatment center, expressing his anguish and demonstrating the video of her destructive behavior. Although the initial stay at the free center lasts just one week, the compassionate director manages to find a slot at a private clinic that costs 8,000 euros. Faced with desperation, John reaches out to his boss for an advance and agrees to fulfill any requests to secure the funds. This turns into a poignant episode when John gives his friend Shane a ride to the airport but orchestrates a heartfelt reunion between Shane and his young son, whom he rarely sees. Their farewell is marked by tears as they part ways at the airport.

Later, John visits the treatment center with his brother, where his mother finally establishes a sincere emotional bond with him. This semblance of hope soon confronts an unsettling reality when John’s boss assigns him to pick up a delicate package. He drives to a rundown house, where he encounters a young Asian woman, battered and lost in a bathtub. Disturbed and at a loss for words, John takes the initiative to transport her to the director of the treatment center, seeking help for her in a moment that feels like it could be pivotal in the cycle of suffering that surrounds him.