TIM MIELANTS | IRELAND, BELGIUM | 2024 | 97 MIN | ENGLISH
Cillian Murphy delivers a brilliantly understated performance in this quietly moving drama about a man caught between his faith and his conscience when he becomes aware of abuses within his village’s convent. Small Things Like These takes place in the bleak winter of 1985 in the small Irish town of New Ross. Coal merchant Bill Furlong (Murphy) works hard to support his wife Eileen (Eileen Walsh) and their family, maintaining the respect of his neighbors with his steady, circumspect demeanor. But things begin to unravel for Bill when he unwittingly glimpses an act of cruelty, suggesting that something even more dark and widespread is taking place inside the local convent. Spurred by memories of his own dark past, Bill must decide whether to take action or remain silent. Adapting Claire Keegan’s acclaimed novel for the screen, director Tim Mielants explores the social conditions that supported Ireland’s notorious Magdalene Laundries, where thousands of young women were imprisoned and forced into labor. Anchored by Murphy’s soulful lead performance, Small Things Like These is a powerful argument for doing what’s right in the face of complicity.
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley, Emily Watson
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