Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Irish director Lenny Abrahamson's third feature builds on the promise of his previous two, Adam and Paul and Garage: he's one of the most accomplished young film-makers around.
Where once he focused upon dropouts during Ireland's boom, now he examines a privileged Dublin enclave in the years of downturn.
Excellent newcomer Jack Reynor plays Richard, a handsome, well-to-do charmer who's just left school and seems about to carry all before him. He's got a car, the run of his family's beach house and plenty of friends to share it with, including Lara (Roisin Murphy), a girl he's just stolen from under the nose of a rugby-club rival. But following a ruckus at a drunken party his promising future is suddenly in tailspin.
Adapting from a novel by Kevin Power, Malcolm Campbell's script develops a sharp undertow of dread as the aftermath of what Richard did starts to haunt. It's a morality tale which trusts the audience to deduce the moral. Reynor, who's in nearly every scene, holds the centre as high-flying Richard contemplates his fall from grace, but slowly, agonisingly.
Note also a touch of Scandinavian TV suspense in its silences and ellipses, enhanced by the presence of Lars Mikkelsen (from series one of The Killing) as Richard's father. Seriously good.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments