Film

The Stag

Name: The Stag
Genre: Comedy
Released: 2013
Cast: Andrew Scott, Hugh O'Conor, Peter McDonald, Brian Gleeson, Michael Legge

Comedy

A reluctant groom drags his sensible friends into the Irish wilderness for a stag weekend, where chaos erupts when his fiancée's unpredictable brother—a human wrecking ball called The Machine—takes charge. This is a raucous, affectionate Irish comedy about masculinity, friendship and what happens when civilised men meet actual nature. It's for anyone who's survived a badly-planned group trip and lived to laugh about it.

TMDb rating

2.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy comedies about grown men cracking under pressure, where the awkward social dynamics and Irish bluntness do more of the work than the plot does.

Skip it if you need a tight plot or a story that keeps moving; this is a loose run of set pieces with broad jokes and thin direction.

What it asks of you: Roughly ninety-four minutes of escalating mishaps, so settle in for a loose, physical ride rather than anything quiet or carefully plotted.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

In Bruges2008

Two hitmen hide out in a medieval Belgian city after a job goes wrong. It's darkly funny, visually gorgeous, and shares The Stag's gift for mixing genuine warmth with brutality. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are magnificent.

But The violence and grief underneath the humour might catch you off guard. Some find the pacing leisurely for a thriller.

The Guard2011

A racist Irish policeman partners with an FBI agent on a drug case. Brendan Gleeson is wonderful, the dialogue sparkles, and it finds comedy in real character contradictions rather than just pranks. Genuinely smart.

But The casual racism, though the film critiques it, will alienate some viewers. The plot is deliberately low-key.

Four Rooms1995

A hapless bellhop navigates increasingly chaotic guest requests on New Year's Eve. It's a chamber comedy about ordinary men in absurd situations, shot through with dark humour and genuine pathos. Pure ensemble fun.

But It's dated in obvious ways. The humour is uneven—some bits land, others don't, and you have to roll with it.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Stag

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

A Prophet2009

Both explore masculinity in extremis: The Stag strips men of comfort and watches who they become; A Prophet does the same in a literal prison. Both are about power, vulnerability, and how quickly masculine hierarchies establish themselves.

A young man enters a French prison and claws his way to power through intelligence and ruthlessness. It's a masterclass in masculine transformation and the cost of survival. Stunning filmmaking and a revelation of a lead performance.

But It's a serious crime drama, not comedy. The violence is brutal and non-cathartic. Some will find it bleak and punishing.

Withnail & I1987

Two unemployed actors flee London for a disastrous countryside holiday. It's a masterpiece of male friendship comedy: hilariously quotable, deeply affectionate, and structured like a tragedy. The template for every stag-weekend film.

But It's slow and deliberately repetitive. If you need constant plot momentum, this will frustrate you.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople2016

A gruff old man and a foster kid go on the run in the New Zealand bush. Taika Waititi's warmth and humour shine; it's funny and moving without ever feeling calculated. Perfect tone.

But If you hate twee indie comedy, this might feel too whimsical. The quirk is real and unapologetic.

Swingers1996

A group of Los Angeles guys navigate dating and friendship in the '90s. It's a snapshot of male anxiety dressed up as comedy, with genuine chemistry between the cast and a soundtrack that slaps. Deeply of its era, but the feelings are timeless.

But The misogyny is real and mostly unremarked-upon. It also hasn't aged well in other ways.

The Banshees of Inisherin2022

Two old friends on a remote Irish island watch their friendship implode. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson again, delivering career-best performances. It's furious and heartbreaking and black-funny.

But It's relentlessly bleak. The darkness is the point, which means there's very little light. Not cathartic.

Winter Light1963

The Stag uses comedy to explore masculine isolation in a group; Winter Light uses silence to do the same. Both films ask: what do we owe each other when everything else fails? Both find unexpected tenderness in deprivation.

A pastor loses his faith, and a woman loves him anyway. It's Bergman at his most economical—stark, silent, devastating. 80 minutes that sit with you for years. A masterpiece about connection and disconnection.

But It's a 1963 Swedish chamber piece about existential despair. There is almost no music, no humour, and very little happens. It requires something from you.