The Commitments (film) Strong secured the role of Deco Cuffe, the lead singer of The Commitments. Robert Arkins was initially considered for the role of Deco before he was ultimately cast as Jimmy Rabbitte. Although his character does not have a singing part in the film, Arkins performs the song "Treat Her Right" during the opening credits. For the role of Joey "the Lips" Fagan, the eldest member of the band, Parker and La Frenais wanted veteran musician Van Morrison. Although his meeting with Parker did not go well, Morrison offered his songs for use in the film. Rory Gallagher was also considered
Deco Dawson Deco Dawson Deco Dawson is a Canadian experimental filmmaker. He is a two-time winner of the Toronto International Film Festival Award for Best Canadian Short Film, winning at the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival for "film(dzama)" and at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival for "Keep a Modest Head", and was a shortlisted Canadian Screen Award nominee for Best Short Documentary for the latter film at the 1st Canadian Screen Awards in 2013. In his early career, he was also a regular collaborator with Guy Maddin, with whom he was credited as editor on "The Heart of the World" and