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The Wind that Shakes the Barley

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Winner of the Palme D’or at Cannes…saw it at the IFC Center this week.


I have always liked Ken Loach.. one of the most famous social-realist filmmakers.  But besides Riff Raff, which I love, I have always just “really liked” his films.  And this is no exception.  Completely competent and well-made.  However, I left feeling that I should have been way more moved by the personal drama in this pic. Â

This is a sympathetic look at the IRA… exploring its roots in the anti-Brit rebellion in 1920.  The film then shows how the civil war affects even the family where brothers turn on brothers (Cillian Murphy and Padraic Delaney).  But you know..perhaps I’m a heartless bastard because I’ve never been truly moved by this sort of story.  Michael killing Fredo didn’t really do it for me to be quite frank.

All the acting is top-notch.  Cinematography is locked down yet wanders and searches for the action – very nice.  The debates in the film, like Loach’s others, are very interesting and insightful. See it cause it won at Cannes… but I think there were many other films there that deserved this award more.