I Went Down

I Went Down is a 1997 Irish crime comedy film by director Paddy Breathnach.

The film is initially set in Dublin. A working class man is released from prison, and soon rescues his best friend from mutilation at the hands of mobsters. The local crime boss decides that the man has to pay for his friend's gambling debts, and tasks him with locating and retrieving a missing associate of the crime boss in Cork.

After serving an eight-month prison sentence for breaking and entering, working class Dublin lad Git Hynes, meets ex-girlfriend Sabrina Bradley, who now prefers his best friend Anto. She asks Git to reassure Anto that he accepts this. On meeting Anto in a bar, Git finds that the latter's gambling addiction has left him in debt to the bookies, who are about to take his fingers as collateral. Git saves his friend, but permanently disfigures the ringleader, the nephew of widely feared mob boss, Tom French.

At a sit-down, Tom French decrees that Git must work off Anto's debt. He is ordered to find French's associate Frank Grogan in Cork, and bring him back to Dublin. Holding Anto as a hostage, French pairs the reluctant Git with half-wit and heavy-handed mobster, Bunny Kelly.

After robbing a petrol station and dumping their stolen car, Bunny and Git steal another car. They drive to a remote bog area to rendezvous with a "Friendly Face". However, arriving too late, they drive to Cork, but find that Grogan has left his hotel. Following a tip, they drive to The Black & Amber Inn, a pub that Grogan frequents. However, Git is attacked by mobsters who break his nose. Bunny painfully re-sets Git's nose for him. Returning to the pub, they follow the mobsters to a secluded house. Bunny and Git conclude that Frank Grogan is being held against his will and decide to rescue him.

The following morning, Bunny gives Git a pistol. They enter the house, find Grogan, and flee, engaging in a gunfight with the mobsters. Grogan asks where he is being taken. When informed that he is being taken to French, Grogan panics and attempts to flee. Grogan is then bundled into the boot. After phoning French's associates, Bunny and Git are informed that the "Friendly Face" will be at the bogs the following day, to receive Grogan. They release Grogan from the boot and head for the rendezvous. In Grogan's incessant, self-aggrandizing chatter, he claims to be having an affair with French's wife and that French only wants him for that reason. Grogan is ignored by Bunny, who then abandons the car and steals a Mercedes-Benz.

Arriving at the rendezvous, Bunny refuses to leave the car. Git and Grogan go to meet the "Friendly Face". Grogan, certain he will be murdered, begs Git not to leave him. Git agrees. At the rendezvous, Grogan does not recognise the man and is fearful. The "Friendly Face" pulls a gun and forces them to kneel. Grogan offers the "Friendly Face" £50,000 for his own release and to kill Git. Before this happens, Bunny arrives and holds the "Friendly Face" at gunpoint. After stuffing him into the boot of his own car, Git and Bunny drag Grogan back to the Mercedes, and interrogate him.

Grogan reveals that he and French were partners, along with a legendary and long missing 1970s Dublin mob boss named Sonny Mulligan. Sonny came into possession of one side of a plate to print 20-dollar bills. Without the other half, it was useless. French later came into possession of the other side of the plates. Eager to get both plates, French offered Grogan £5,000. Grogan refused, instead opting to sell his half for £10,000 to a criminal from London. French, however, counter-offered. He had found a buyer for both plates, offering £100,000. French agreed to a 50–50 deal, and offered Grogan £25,000 up-front. French's wife was to deliver the money, but Grogan says she never showed up.