The Wind that Shakes the Barley, Premonition, Fido, and The White Masai
See it or skip it? This week's new movie releases By Paul Matthews
The Wind that Shakes the Barley
The Cannes jury wasn’t wrong when they awarded this film the Palme d’Or. Ken Loach’s look at the Irish War of Independence is both a sterling historical document and an intelligent meditation on the cycles of violence wrought by military occupation. About to become a doctor in London, Damian (Cillian Murphy) realizes his country needs him to help drive out the Black and Tan occupiers. While he and his brother Teddy’s efforts as guerilla leaders help make Britain withdraw, their divergent political beliefs lead to a tragic confrontation. Emphasizing this familial conflict, Loach’s film becomes far more than an anti-imperialist rant. In the end, it exposes how war dehumanizes all of its participants, regardless of which flag they fly. The film might be a bit talky—every character is permitted to fully express the minutiae of their political opinions—but then so are all great historical epics. Gorgeously shot and remarkably acted, bold and nuanced: Mike Leigh meets David Lean. SEE IT NOW
The Wind That Shakes the Barley is now playing at the Cumberland (159 Cumberland St.) and Bayview (Bayview Village Plaza).
