In the Land of Saints and Sinners

The killers of Inisherin. This surprisingly little known Irish production with tough guy Liam Neeson is more pleasing than some of his recent Hollywood movies. Though the plot is heavily formulaic and predictable, the characters, between which sparks fly, are not one-dimensional; the story is told meticulously from the directorial standpoint, with love for westerns (including a harmonica), well-directed actors, great use of coastline panoramas and music that’s far nicer and deeper than what you would expect from a “cowboy flick with Neeson” (listen to the closing credits). The main villain played by Kerry Condon is an ultra-bitch and Ciarán Hinds and Colm Meaney are always delightful in supporting roles. Three and a half stars. (06/18/2024)

Liam Neeson returns to his homeland as a hitman determined to shut down his special forest nursery by the heath brook. But, as you know, people plan, and the IRA changes. It has a flashy title, a western plot about evil strangers in town and a mysterious protector of its residents, Donegal’s scenery is absolutely "gorgeous," and other local seasoned veterans (Ciarán Hinds, Colm Meaney) get their moments. Still, something was missing for me to fully engage. Perhaps it needed to be a notch rawer at the expense of sentimentality and didacticism, the action finale in the pub didn’t have to be so dull, or maybe it needed Brendan Gleeson as a priest or grave-digger, I’m not sure. In any case, Kerry Condon as the Banshee of Tipperary steals the show. Her inner fire translated into her roles is fascinating. (01/17/2024)

The trajectory of the quality of Liam Neeson's films in recent years has begun to dangerously replicate something that Nicolas Cage experienced some 10 to 15 years ago. Fortunately, here Liam remembers his better days. The genius loci of the Irish coast is unique, the film has a nice and catchy score, and even though the premise with the retired killer is a very stale, the presence of the IRA gives it all an interesting edge. And thanks to the dialogue, which isn't trite, you'll soon realise that this isn't your ordinary disposable consumer product. It's a serious drama of the old-school variety, just the way I like it. I'm not at all surprised at its inclusion in the Venice Film Festival. PS: Jack Gleeson, Joffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones was excellent here! (03/16/2024)