The Craic

The Craic (stylised as The Craíc; pronounced /ˈkræk/) is a 1999 Australian comedy film starring stand-up comedian Jimeoin with Alan McKee, directed by Ted Emery.

It is 1988, and two best friends from Ireland—Fergus Montagu (Jimeoin) and Wesley Murray (McKee)—flee from Belfast after a violent confrontation with Colin (Robert Morgan) of the IRA and illegally enter Australia, finding seasonal work picking fruit at orchards to afford hostels, sustenance and booze costs (but so cash-strapped, their whiskey and cokes are made by taking swigs of whiskey and coke, mixing the two on the fly in their mouth), the last often used to dull the two's fear of immigration officers.

This, however, occurs just as the pair's apartment is raided by immigration officer Derek Johnson (Nicolas Bell), and Wesley is forced to escape, eventually reuniting with his friend in Queensland.

The two make their way up the coast and become acquainted with backpackers Alice (Jane Hall) and Erica (played by Catherine Arena, Jimeoin's real-life wife) along the way.

[3] It took almost $2 million during its first week in cinemas, placing it in the same opening league as acclaimed Australian films such as Muriel's Wedding and The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.