Director - Ken Loach
Writer - Paul Laverty
Cast - Cillian Murphy, Pádraic Delaney, Liam Cunningham, Orla Fitzgerald, Mary O’Riordan, John Crean, Myles Horgan, Mary Murphy and Roger Allam

Trailer

Set during the Irish War of Independence, and the subsequent Civil War, The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a film that is surrounded by unwarranted controversy. Directed by Ken Loach, a staunch advocate of global socialism, it tells the story of two brothers – Damien (Murphy) and Teddy (Delaney) O’Donovan – who join the Irish Republican Army and fight to get independence from the British. After the establishment of the Irish Free State, the two brothers find themselves on opposing sides in the Civil War, with Damien joining the…

First film of the Letterboxd Festival.

For me, Loach's film proves that a film can come across authentic, yet not be accurate. Yet it is still a great film so I feel I have to give this film two ratings.

On the one hand there is Loach's usual display of skill. He gets unbelievable natural performances out of his actors, which makes for some spellbinding viewing. Everything in the film feels authentic, from the dialogue to the production design, it's stunning. Even though Loach's pacing is off sometimes, it is still a captivating film to watch as we are given an unflinching look into a very violent part of the United Kingdom's history.

On the other hand there's the historical…

First film of the Letterboxd festival

I've never been one for patriotism. I have a certain protective view of my country, as any animal does of its territory, but the idea of flag-flying nationalism and jingoistic support of one's land just doesn't appeal very much to me (I speak German miles better than I do Irish, for instance). As such, I attribute the sense of esprit de corps I felt with these men far more to the strength of the filmmaking than to my own connection to the cause by birthright. There's an undeniable sense of siding with the Irish on the part of Loach and his screenwriter Paul Laverty, no arguing that, but the way in which they do…

Any film that prompts me to want to study its subject matter is successful in my books. The Wind that Shakes the Barley was well done, entertaining, educational and disturbing. I did find that I was missing some chunks of plot because I couldn't make out what was being said, but that is my fault for not watching with subtitles.

There was something in the way the story was told that I ultimately really liked. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I think it is that there are few if any obvious Chapter headings in the film. What I mean is that straight narrative films are often crystal clear as to their subject matter and how they…

The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a story about a group of young men with the Irish Republican Army and their struggle to rid Ireland of Britain's control. At the center of the story is Damien (Cillian Murphy), a young doctor, who is not interested in the fight at first, but is pulled into the IRA by his brother Teddy (Pádraic Delaney) after witnessing a friend die at the hands of brutal British soldiers. Over time, Damien's passion for the fight for Ireland's independence overtakes his brother's enthusiasm for it. When the peace treaty is signed and a Free State under the British crown is established, the brothers form opposing opinions about Ireland's direction and conflict ensues between the…