Small Things Like These, 2024.
Directed by Tim Mielants.
Starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Watson, Michelle Fairley, Eileen Walsh, Zara Devlin, Clare Dunne, Helen Behan, Amy De Bhrún, Mark McKenna, Agnes O’Casey, Joanne Crawford, Abby Fitz, Aoife Gaffney, and Aidan O’Hare.
SYNOPSIS:
In 1985 devoted father Bill Furlong discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent and uncovers shocking truths of his own.
On more than one occasion during director Tim Mielants’s Small Things Like These, Cillian Murphy’s Bill Furlong is observed rigorously scrubbing away dirt and, presumably, coal (he owns a factory) with the camera fixated on those hands. Set in 1985 in a small Irish town comfortable letting a nearby convent get away with abuse under the guise of reforming so-called problematic women at the expense of making their lives easier (standing up to them would likely hurt someone’s chances of getting the children a good education, as we learn this is a corrupt system and the church has their fingers in all sorts of pies), it comes across as a metaphor for precisely what these people are doing; washing their hands of surrounding filth and moving on.
Bill doesn’t necessarily fit this mold; he’s a soft-hearted guy quick to cancel some debts to families down on their luck or give some spare cash to a young boy living a rough life with an alcoholic father. However, even he doesn’t quite test his luck with this convent, led by Emily Watson’s unflinchingly cruel and silently threatening Sister Mary. One day, while delivering coal there, he notices a mother physically shoving her daughter (Zara Devlin) into that church. Later on, when visiting to hand over a correction to one of the invoices, he notices that the same girl is under duress. It’s an ugly situation gnawing away at his consciousness, something that Cillian Murphy expresses with a phenomenally understated performance. The Oscar-winning performer doesn’t necessarily get big acting showcase moments here, but it’s an enrapturing turn of conflict, guilt, and quiet pain.
Unable to stand by idly anymore, Bill asks his wife, Eileen (Eileen Walsh), “What if it were one of our daughters?” She says, “It’s not,” a frustrating “I got mine” mindset that unfortunately permeates society today. Amplifying his overwhelming need to do something and make a difference are some childhood flashbacks, some of which also have to do with Christmas coming around and bringing those memories to the forefront. Admittedly, Bill’s tragic backstory is less compelling even if it informs what is happening in 1985. A couple of aspects of that past seem intentionally left vague. Mainly, the compelling drama exists within whether or not Bill will take action against the convent, even if it would bring forth negative consequences for his five daughters.
Adapted from a novel by Claire Keegan (with a screenplay treatment from Enda Walsh), but perhaps most importantly, based on actual history and a dark section of Irish history, Small Things Like These smartly and fittingly doesn’t build to a grand, explosive conclusion. The film is moody, tense, and character-driven, with choices and their consequences providing riveting drama on a scale with large ramifications. It’s also packed with details, small and large.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at [email protected]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/playlist