Trivia / The Lads

• Acting for Two: Adam Behan and Dave Boyle play both the gangsters and the two men in the nightclub toilet fight. This is why the gangsters never remove their balaclavas.
• Actor Allusion: When Fionn is robbing a house, a poster for Manhunt can be seen. This is Ian Adams's next film.
• Amateur Cast: The majority of the cast had either never acted before (Dylan Hanlon, David O'Gorman) or had minimal experience (Ryan Hennessy, Ian Adams). Adam Behan had only worked in stunts beforehand.
• Blooper: Paul's boss is called 'John' in his first scene, but 'Brian' throughout the rest of the film. In the script he had no name. His two big scenes were filmed eighteen months apart, and they'd forgotten he'd been given John as a name.
• California Doubling: Set in Dublin, filmed in Arklow, Co. Wicklow (over an hour away if you're curious).
• Corpsing:
  • When filming the scene of Brian getting cornered in the forest, David O'Gorman kept either grinning or looking directly into the camera.
  • Dave Boyle kept making Adam Behan laugh when filming the bathroom fight scene.
• Creator Cameo: Director of Photography Joe Reid is the man in the toilets watching the fight from the urinal.
• Directed by Cast Member: Ian Adams plays Scott and directs the film.
• Fake Shemp: Dylan Hanlon was doubled by Dale O'Brien for the slow-motion walking scenes, which is why Fionn's head is kept down.
• Funny Character, Boring Actor: Inverted. Ryan Hennessy plays Paul, the most normal of the three. A glance at the Making of video shows he's hysterical.
• No Budget: According to the Irish Independent, made for just €260.
• Production Posse: Ryan Hennessy, David O'Gorman and Adam Behan reunited for Ian Adams's next film Manhunt. Composer Oisin Mac Ghiolla Bride also appears in a small role in the latter.
• Reality Subtext: The cast and crew were all childhood friends, just as the three boys are in the film.
• Throw It In!:
  • Dave Boyle and Adam Behan were improvising most of the Pre Ass Kicking One Liners in the toilet fight.
  • In the climactic fight scene, Dylan Hanlon kneed Dale O'Brien in the head for real by accident. The take is used in the final film.
• What Could Have Been: Adam Behan was supposed to just come on board to help choreograph stunts. Ian Adams noticed his Creepy Blue Eyes, and persuaded him to play the lead gangster.