Lost & Found

In Liam O Mochain’s irresistibly sweet Lost & Found, seven stories interweave with the common factor being a lost and found office of an Irish train station.

Whether it be an item that’s picked up from there that connects two characters or an already friendship which extends outwards to mutual acquaintances, O Mochain’s script seamlessly and organically joins the residents of the small town. The events that bring people together never feel too contrived and are completely believable in their inception.

It all begins when Daniel (O Mochain, not content with just writing or directing) starts a new job at the lost and found office. His first day sees a wide array of unusual items being handed in or picked up. From wallets to babies, he’ll see it all. But the stories of Lost & Found mostly come from the people that own the items, including a heartfelt tale involving Daniel himself and a bracelet his grandmother used to own.

To reveal all stories here would be disrespectful to the fantastic writing of O Mochain. He perfectly captures what it is to be human; ups and downs, personality highlights and glaring flaws. But underneath it all is an overwhelming sense of compassion and humility towards others. In these stories, he acknowledges that it’s in our nature to make mistakes, but it’s how we react to them and what we learn from our errors (if anything) is what matters.

There are wonderfully realised characters throughout, all given the naturalistic performances they deserve from an enthused cast. O Mochain is indeed a standout inclusion as Daniel, the seemingly sensible and level-headed new recruit at the Lost & Found office. A narrative thread involving a forgetful passenger and a train station worker is equally poignant and heart-warming, and will have you wanting to carry out endless amounts of good deeds for others.

There’s a healthy dose of humour among the personal drama too, most of it coming from the realistic conversations and interactions. A spectacularly botched proposal will be easy to relate to for anyone whose ever tried to plan a surprise and the grand opening of a refurbished pub takes an unusual turn.

Lost & Found is an intimate celebration of life and the fragile nature of it all. Its leisurely pace means its in no rush to get anywhere and neither should you be. O Mochain’s film demonstrates that we’re all heading to the same place eventually, so enjoy every moment – even if they don’t always work out the way you want it to, things will be alright in the end.