The most common soul turns out to be a royal with pockets deeper than the Clyde Sea.

Logline:
An American lawyer, Robert Green (23) gets his first case and travels abroad in an attempt to carry out the last wishes of an eccentric deceased pub regular. The close-knit pub becomes a place of contentious chaos when the regulars find out he had a trust fund worth 30 million euros.

Synopsis:

ROBERT GREEN is about to embark upon a career in law. After a childhood with an emotionally distant yet somehow overbearing mother, he has landed a choice position at the oldest and most powerful firm in Chicago. His first assignment is waiting for him as he walks in the door. He has to go to Ireland and preside over the dispersal of the estate of a client. Robert crosses the pond and walks in on the wake of Baird Keefe, a regular in a small seaside pub. The crowd shows grudging affection for the dead man. Robert announces why he is there, then plays a video tape that Baird left in his safe deposit box in the event of his demise.

On the tape, Baird explains to the motley collection of Micks that he is in fact of royal blood and that he gave up his trust of 30 million pounds and ran off to Ireland years ago after money had ruined his life. He tells them that he has left the money to one of them, and that person can decide if he or she is going to share it with the group or keep it for themselves. He warns them that money never brought him an ounce of happiness in his life. The will angers the patrons, who direct their ire towards Green.

Green tells them that the liquid part of the estate will be dispersed by morning. GAUL and MAIT (23), two scrap-happy brothers, offer to beat the truth out of him. FIA, a local artist and hometown bonnie, distracts them long enough for TAUGER, the barkeep, to settle everyone down. Tauger thinks it’s all just one big joke.

The instructions of the deceased stipulate that Robert has to spend one day with everyone in the bar to get to know their lives. He is supposed to recommend whether or not the money is divided or kept with the inheritor. A trip with a poacher, a butcher, a pair of fishermen, an artist and a voyeur (Lady Macray spends much of her time looking through a telescope at the comings and goings of the town) puts the locals in perspective. When blue-blooded royals turn up at the cremation ceremony, everyone is ready to believe that the money is real and Robert is telling the truth.

Robert knows that dividing the money will bring greater fees for his law firm and make an impression, but he can’t bring himself to counsel the recipient of the funds. The day of the bank transfer comes and it turns out to be a moot point. Robert is directed to play a second video for the group. Baird confesses that it all was an elaborate prank. Robert has found a connection with Fia, but is given a new mission stateside and leaves the group in strangely good spirits. They seem to enjoy being played more than if they were rich. Robert doesn\’t understand. He returns home with one last instruction from Baird: find the girl who ruined my life and give her an envelope.

Robert hires PIs, web identity specialists, even a psychic, but it turns out that he is the key to finding the woman, and when he figures that out, the trail takes him home. His mother had left Baird years before, partially over money, and partially over an unwanted pregnancy. Baird is Robert’s father. Robert realizes that he doesn’t want the life his mother wants for him. He returns to Ireland and Fia. He uses the special knock that the regulars use before entering the pub, but he’s told he doesn’t have to knock. He is home.