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THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY (2007) (****)

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This Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or winner looks at the activities of the Irish Republican Army during the 1920s. Titling the film after a 19th century song that became a symbol of the Irish Republican movement, British director Ken Loach brings his longtime writing collaborator Paul Laverty's ironic screenplay to intriguing life as he balances between the characters and the intellectual underpinnings of the story.

After returning from a game of hurling, Damien (Cillian Murphy, BREAKFAST ON PLUTO) and some of his friends are accosted by British soldiers. It is the law that the Irish cannot congregate in groups even for sport. The incident turns violent and afterward Damien's older brother Teddy (Padraic Delaney, TV's THE TUDORS) urges the young doctor to join the Irish Republican Army. We watch as he trains and engages in the IRA's guerilla-style war against the British forces. Once a treaty is signed, the brother's find themselves on opposite sides — Damien on the anti-treaty IRA and Teddy on the pro-treaty Irish Free State. During the course of the story, Damien will have his morality tested in the face of the cause.

The opening act quickly thrusts us into the action and over the course of the second act we learn more about the characters and their relationships. It's a provocative device, which creates a heightened sense of discovery as we put together details, which enlighten our understanding of the characters' motivations and conflicts. Damien, at first, does not want to be part of the rebellion, but is convinced to join after witnessing another violent encounter with British soldiers at the train station. The relationship between Damien and Teddy is filled with drama and irony. Damien is a doctor who is asked to kill. He transforms from someone who doesn't even want to get involved to an ardent supporter. The conclusion is Greek in proportions.

Many of the incidents and characters are composites of real events and people. Teddy is based on the anti-treaty leader Tom Barry. The scene where IRA members ambush British soldiers at a pool hall is based directly on the Kilmichael Ambush. Damien seems to be based on two doctors who joined the resistance — Ernie O'Malley, who wrote the book ON ANOTHER MAN'S WOUND about his experiences, and Paddy O'Sullivan, whose brother Michael wrote the book WHERE MOUNTAINY MEN HAVE SOWN. From these details one can easily ascertain that the story is from an Irish point of view. The British are not given any more depth than elitists or sadists. However, this doesn't mean the Irish are painted as saints either. They embrace savagery for what they feel is a just cause. As the civil war begins, the filmmakers tackle how power often corrupts and leads to abuse. Loach and Laverty wisely portray violence as an ugly option on all sides, which leaves all those involved tainted.

Cillian Murphy is a strong, passionate actor who carries the emotional side well. But what makes the film even more special is the way it illuminates ideas. Many sections feature debates over philosophy, which feel immediate and create great tension between the opposing sides. Pitting the brothers against each other is dramatically powerful, making the closing third gripping and haunting. It's a sad story that ends with a question — was it worth it? And the filmmakers are smart enough to let the audience answer for themselves.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks