Relentless and exhausting

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2007)

An extraordinary film, this brings the times of the Black & Tans and the ensuing civil war in Ireland ("The Troubles") to the screen in a fierce and credible movie.
My family, in the past, were very much effected by the Black & Tans and stories were passed down of the atrocities they committed. Many of them were released from jail in England on condition they serve in this brutal force and they gladly availed themselves of the chance at freedom, with very little oversight into how they conducted themselves amongst the downtrodden and impoverished citizens of Ireland during that time. Ken Loach, along with his writer, Paul Laverty, do an admirable job of bringing this complexity to the screen.
It also struck me that this was the right time to do it - on a few levels, most notably that Ireland has been, economically, hugely successful, with the past, for the most part now forgotten, and for another in light of the civil war following the invasion and oppression of Iraq. Cruelty begets cruelty.
Cillian Murphy is amazing in his role of the young doctor Damien with Padraic Delaney playing his brother. But all the other bit parts excel, I've rarely seen such a cast of terrific and believable actors.
The mood of the era is captured beautifully, mainly filmed in the wilds of West Cork and evoking the fragile times of that era when whole families were torn apart when The Treaty was signed - some wanting to continue the fight for full autonomy, others wanting to cease the battle and grab at the chance for peace.
This was carefully crafted by all concerned, some of the dialogue would need subtitles, though I had no difficulty, and some of the scenes are gut wrenching in their realism.
8 out of 10.