A Date for Mad Mary

A Date for Mad Mary
Irish poster
Directed by	Darren Thornton
Produced by	Juliette Bonass Ed Guiney
Written by	Darren Thornton Colin Thornton
Starring	Seána Kerslake Tara Lee Charleigh Bailey Denise McCormack Barbara Brennan Siobhan Shanahan Susie Power
Cinematography	Ole Bratt Birkeland
Edited by	Tony Cranstoun Juangus Dinsmore
Production company	Irish Film Board Element Pictures
Distributed by	Element Pictures Distribution
Release date	2 July 2016 (KVIFF) 2 September 2016 (Ireland)
Running time	92 minutes
Country	Ireland
Language	English

A Date for Mad Mary is a 2016 Irish drama film, directed by Darren Thornton. It won two Irish Film & Television Awards, including Best Film.

The film is adapted from Yasmine Akram's one-woman play 10 Dates with Mad Mary (2010). Darren Thornton, who directed the original play, adapted and directed this, along with his brother Colin.

"Mad" Mary McArdle is released from prison and tries to reconnect with friends in Drogheda. Her best friend Charlene is getting married and Mary seeks a date to bring to her wedding.

A Date for Mad Mary premiered at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic on 2 July 2016. It won Best Irish Feature Film at the Galway Film Fleadh, while Seána Kerslake won the Bingham Ray New Talent Award. It went on general release on 2 September, to very positive reviews. The Irish Independent said "A Date for Mad Mary is the best Irish film I've seen in a long time, and blends comedy, romance and pathos with extraordinary skill.". Donald Clarke in The Irish Times said it might be "the best Irish release of 2016".