The Music

ALMOST WITH YOU integrates a whopping ten of Declan O’Rourke songs, six of which were performed live into its narrative, making Declan’s music central to the storytelling. Adam Morris originally based the script around a character who would play traditional Irish ballads, however once Declan was cast in the lead role of ‘Brendan', he and Adam worked together to find which of Declan's songs would complement the narrative best, ultimately drawing on both existing, and brand new material from Declan’s catalogue. This remarkable chemistry resulted in the inclusion of such original songs as his devastatingly beautiful 'Poor Boys Shoes', which Brendan performs for a group of teenage music students, leaving them stunned. In a synchronous twist, ‘Sarah’, the song Brendan Kelly writes in Albany for the woman he has just met, is actually a song Declan wrote years earlier. Unaware of Declan’s song, Adam had already named the film's lead female character ‘Sarah’.  

Another Irish collaboration brought more key music to the film. Initially approached to play the character of ‘Lorcan', Brendan’s older brother, revered Irish singer/songwriter Luka Bloom instead offered his music to be used as the film's instrumental score, resulting in five of his compositions appearing thematically throughout the film.  

As everyone in Albany appears to be a musician, the film includes performances by MJ Gibbs, The Albany Shantymen, and a particularly poignant rendition of 'Everysong' by Stephen Pigram, who plays the character of Gordon, a kind of father figure to Sarah. Lead actress Chloe Hurst, who plays Sarah, also contributes to the film’s musical landscape, duetting briefly with Declan on his song 'Whatever Else Happens', which a casual observer might easily assume was written especially for the film. 

Completing the triumvirate of Irish songwriting connections, Darren ‘Gallie’ Gallagher, another well known singer-songwriter who has performed around Australia and Europe for many years, was cast in the role of Lorcan Kelly. 

Finally, in a surprise cameo, former ‘Panics’ singer/songwriter Jae Laffer appears late in the film as Karl the Janitor, completing ALMOST WITH YOU’s deep musical roots.