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THE
WIND THAT
SHAKES THE BARLEY |
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"These Are Not
Irish Hobbits..." |
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Directed by Ken Loach -
Written by Paul Laverty
Starring Cillian Murphy,
Liam Cunningham, Padraic
Delaney, Gerard Kearney
Distributed by IFC First
Take -
2007 - 124m - Rated PG13 |
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Richard Propes'
Review
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B+ |
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Taking its title from a 19th century Irish ballad by Robert Dwyer
Joyce, Ken Loach's Palm d'Or winning film "The Wind That Shakes the
Barley" is a film that plays much like Joyce's song...An
uncomfortable mixture of idealism, sweeping grief and an often
overwhelming sadness that is nearly impossible to overcome even
hours after having left the theatre. |
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Loach has long been
one of the most insightful and eloquent political filmmakers,
providing a depth of humanity and intelligence to his films that is
quite uncommon in filmmaking as so many filmmakers who tackle
political material become lost in their agendas and visions at the
expense of the truth.
Not to say that Loach doesn't have an agenda...anyone familiar with
Loach's work knows that his political ideology has long leaned
towards the more radical, and his sympathies, even in this film,
clearly lie with the working class revolutionaries upon which he
centers his film. Yet, quite clearly, "The Wind That Shakes the
Barley" is almost fervent in its anti-war sentiment and in pointing
out the inherent fog that blinds both sides to clear vision and
humane action.
"The Wind That Shakes the Barley" focuses much of its vision on two
brothers, Damien (Cillian Murphy) and Teddy (Padraic Delaney),
caught up in Ireland's civil unrest in 1920-21 and the ensuing
conflicts between the Irish Republican Army and England's Black and
Tans.
Damien seems the more peaceful of the two siblings until one day,
just prior to his leaving for medical school in London, when a
village family is attacked and the son beaten to death because he
refuses to say his name in English. This event, followed by a
vicious attack by the Blacks and Tans at a train station, motivates
Damien to join the IRA and, throughout the film we have Damien and
his brother's small army's efforts to disrupt the "occupation" by
the larger, more equipped Blacks and Tans.
While Loach's sentiments, along with those of screenwriter Paul
Laverty, obviously reside squarely with the native IRA, "The Wind
That Shakes the Barley" isn't a war-friendly film. Loach doesn't
glorify the conflicts, the violence or the divisions that are
created. Loach vividly and, dare I say, beautifully captures the
devastating costs of revolution even while illustrating just as
vividly the injustice of occupation and forced political ideologies,
even regional ones.
At first thought, Murphy seemed an odd choice for the role of
Damien, a man who evolves from compassion and tenderness to,
essentially, a man committed to the path of violence as revolution.
Yet, Murphy ("Breakfast on Pluto" and "Red Eye") masterfully
captures both the gentleness and darkness lying inside Damien in a
performance that is uncomfortably rich and authentic.
As Teddy, Padraic Delaney ("A Lonely Sky") is the perfect balance to
Murphy's ever-changing Damien. While Teddy starts out ready to fight
until the death, after a 1921 treat is signed Teddy becomes
committed to peaceful negotiation and compromise, a stark contrast
to his brother with whom conflicts seem inevitable.
More intimate than its most obvious predecessor, "Michael Collins,"
"The Wind That Shakes the Barley" is the the sort of political
thriller, war film and human drama that will have you on the edge of
your seats holding on wondering "Will they?" or "Won't they?" or
"What's going to happen to this one now?" While Loach clearly
focuses his film on the two brothers, even the supporting characters
are given moments to shine, moments of great humanity and moments
that create a connection so that when they triumph or suffer we, the
audience, suffer right along with them.
As is virtually always expected from a Loach film, "The Wind That
Shakes the Barley" is painstakingly researched, beautifully
photographed with a production design that is stellar across the
board.
As so many worldwide wrestle with the social and political
implications of American involvement in Iraq, it becomes nearly
impossible to view "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" without also
vividly recalling similar incidents, actions, thoughts, rebellions
and excuses that exist between the two military operations nearly
100 years apart.
"The Wind That Shakes the Barley" is currently on the arthouse
circuit and will likely be followed by a lengthy life on DVD, where
one can only hope that DVD extras continue to shed light on this
dark time in Irish/British history that is, just now, beginning to
show signs of peaceful resolution. |
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© Written by Richard Propes -
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TC Candler's Comment
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Jacob Hall's
Comment
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