Laois writer behind major new Irish thriller movie No Ordinary Heist

There is a big Laois connection to a major new Irish thriller film that launched in Irish cinemas last weekend.

It is in the form of its co-writer, proud Portlaoise woman Aisling Corristine.

No Ordinary Heist is a major new Irish thriller inspired by the 2004 Northern Bank robbery, the largest cash heist in UK and Irish history. The film, co-written by Aisling Corristine and Colin McIvor features acclaimed actors Eddie Marsan (of US show Ray Donovan), Éanna Hardwicke (Saipan), Eva Birthistle and Michelle Fairley. 

It marks Aisling’s feature length film debut, although she has already seen great success in the arts. 

Her comedy short film Baps and Buns, is currently being streamed on Disney+ in Ireland. 

A daughter of Margot and retired Portlaoise obstetrician John Corristine, Aisling, 43, began as a journalist before going on to study as a screenwriter, as she told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"They call me a baby screenwriter because up until now I’ve only done short films. That’s how a lot of people start, going from shorts to television episodes,” she said.

One of three siblings, she went to school in Sacred Heart in Portlaoise.

"I was always writing one way or another. I worked for the Laois Voice years ago and when it closed I spend my redundancy on a screenwriting course. I really liked that but you couldn’t make a living at it so I because a journalist, and worked for seven years for an American online company, Geo News. I always scribbled my own stories on the side. Every now and then getting a short made or getting stuff read, it’s a really long process.” she said.

Her expertise was developed through prestigious programmes such as BBC Voices and The Writers Lab. Baps and Buns was screened internationally, winning several awards.

"It was great it was picked up by Disney+ because it was done on a shoestring. We won a scheme in the west that gave a tiny budget to make it. To go from shorts to a feature film that’s out in cinemas is such a very lucky break,” she said.

No Ordinary Heist’s Colin McIvor had reached out to ask her to write it with him.

"He was in art college in Belfast when the heist happened. He walked past it the day after when the police were there, he was so interested in the story, it’s something he always wanted to do. He read a TV pilot I had written and really liked it and he emailed me out of the blue.

"There was no money, he said I’d have to take a leap of faith in hopes of writing a good script to attract a producer, and we did. We wrote it online, I’d never met him over the years. He found an American producer and then an Irish producer, and we got together and said let’s make this.

"Screen Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen and RTE all got on board.

"It was very much a close collaboration, we came up with suggestions of actors, I was very lucky to be on set for a week of the five week shoot. I’ve a four year old so it wasn’t going to be an every day thing.  It was brilliant, such an education to see all the moving parts. How many dozens and dozens of people its takes behind the scenes. 

"I’ve seen it about seven times by now, I was involved in editing and watching cuts every day and we’ve had premieres in Belfast and Dublin,” she said.

Summing up the movie, Aisling describes it as “a tense, claustrophic, dramatic thriller” and for those who don’t remember the real crime, with “a twist in the end”. 

"It’s hard to do a heist movie on an Irish budget but I think we did a pretty good job”.

It is based on the Northern Bank Robbery when criminals forced two workers to steal £26.5 million, by holding their families hostage.

"It was an amazing thing that happened that people forgot about, it was big news in Belfast”.

Watch: trailer of No Ordinary Heist on YouTube

“It’s years and years of perservence to get a film made, finding funding, actors, such an exhausting, mad process, its almost amazing films do get made.

"As my first feature film, I’m really proud of it and I think it’s getting a lot of good press. People seem to be genuinely excited about it and interested in it. I’m hoping this is the start of a good working relationship with the cast and crew. I’ll keep going from here.”

Aisling is already working on her next film.

"With the same producer and director, we are lucky to get funding for another feature that I’ll be writing myself.

"Years ago I got a small arts grant from Laois County Council, which helped me come up with the idea for this film. It’s set in the Midlands so it will be nice to come back full circle. It’s a dark comedy,” she said. 

She returns to Laois often to visit her family. Her sister Tara also writes, as a communications officer and her brother Eoghan is a stay-at-home dad of two. 

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"We come back to see our parents every two weeks, and cook for them. Dad is still in great nick, he does his Ex Well classes twice and week and is still chatting away to everyone as usual,” she said. 

Aisling is however disappointed that the local Odeon cinema has not taken up offers to screen No Ordinary Heist.

"It’s on every cinema in the country except Portlaoise. It’s very frustrating,” she said.