Beautifully filmed but...

Rating: 9/10 (24 November 2006)

I liked this film a lot. As a movie it was quite good; as a history lesson, it was very interesting. And I thought Cillian Murphy was excellent in the lead role.
Visually, I thought it was stunning and the story, for most people living in Ireland, is pretty well known. I was born in an era when my grandparents were able to pass on their first-hand experiences of what is was like to have lived in the times of the "Black 'n Tans". And, despite what some British viewers might like to think, the film seems like a reasonably accurate portrayal of the time, if one believes what people who lived through it say. If it's possibly a bit too one-dimensional in its depiction of the 'Tans, I think that's because that was very much the predominant dimension for Irish people.
However, while I enjoyed the movie, there was something missing in that I didn't really see or become engaged in the process of why one would come down strongly on one side or the other in the civil was that followed the War of Independence. I know this from my history lessons, but I don't think the movie really addresses that issue very well. I do think that it's a worthwhile film to watch, especially for anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of the background to the troubles that have blighted Ireland for many years.
Sean.