Loach is on fire here. A masterfully executed mix of politics and passion, this is an example of that increasingly rare beast in modern cinema: a serious, thought-provoking film for grown-ups.
The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2007)
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Reviews Counted:108
Fresh:95
Rotten:13
Average Rating:7.6/10
Consensus: Bleak and uncompromising, but director Ken Loach brightens his film with gorgeous cinematography and tight pacing, and features a fine performance from Cillian Murphy.
Rated: 15 [See Full Rating] for crude and sexual humor, language, a comic violent image and some drug references
Runtime: 2 hrs 7 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:23-06-2006
Synopsis: Set in 1916 in Ireland, THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY is the story of Damien (Cillain Murphy), a young Irishman about to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. When his friend is... Set in 1916 in Ireland, THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY is the story of Damien (Cillain Murphy), a young Irishman about to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. When his friend is brutally murdered for standing up to a band of British soldiers, Damien abandons his medical career and joins his brother Teddy (Padraic Delany) in the fight for freedom. Small guerrilla groups of Irish farmers begin to wage bloody attacks, forcing the government to negotiate a ceasefire. The Anglo-Irish Peace Treaty is offered, but it puts Teddy and Damien at odds. Teddy believes they should accept the treaty and try to work within the system to avoid further bloodshed, while Damien thinks they should continue to fight until they are completely free of British rule. Whereas the two brothers used to fight side by side, they now find themselves divided, and forced to choose between their familial bond and their ardent beliefs. Murphy and Delany both give standout performances as the battling brothers. Murphy flashes his otherworldly blue eyes and conveys his character's fierce intellect, as well as the deep sadness of his struggle. Delany, for his part, tries to come off as all brawn and bravery, but cannot conceal his sensitive heart--his face glows with rage one minute, then crumples into sorrow the next. Director Ken Loach, who won the Palme d'Or for the film, has created a deeply personal war story, with an attention to detail that is heartbreaking in its realism. The sight of the young men training for battle with hurley bats instead of rifles will make the viewer gasp at the disparity between the warring sides. While some might flinch at the graphic violence depicted, the film stands strong as a raw, human portrait of a deeply troubled moment in history. [More]
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Liam Cunningham, William Ruane, Gerard Kearney
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Liam Cunningham, William Ruane, Gerard Kearney, Padraic Delaney, Roger Allam, Orla Fitzgerald
Director: Ken Loach
Director: Ken Loach
Screenwriter: Paul Laverty
Producer: Rebecca O'Brien
Composer: George Fenton
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Reviews for The Wind That Shakes the Barley
Loach has made a film of uncompromising, wintry bleakness, haunted by death and ravaged ideals. The days of hope have never been shorter.
The film increasingly short-changes the personal for the sake of the political, despite powerful scenes and another impressive performance from Cillian Murphy.
A bold attempt to convey a complex situation that captures the anger and tensions of early-20th century Ireland, but falls strangely short on human drama.
A stirring lament for good human beings caught in the crossfire of history.
Beautifully made it may be, but The Wind is a movie that engages the head while never troubling the heart.
Murphy is terrific in the central role and his softly spoken, essentially passive demeanour is used to powerful effect...
It is a finely made, finely acted piece of work. For this, and for his remarkable and uncompromising career, Loach deserves his golden palm.
The film's stark outrage exposes the pussyfooting that these days passes for 'political'
Pickings must have been pretty slim at Cannes last year because Barley isn't much of a standout piece.
Loach delivers a moving and often beautiful story that captures the essence of the conflict, with all its unintended consequences and personal tragedies.
Ultimately, the politics outweigh the poetry ... but it succeeds despite its hesitations and far-reaching ambition
Laverty's screenplay is not a simple-minded exercise, although there is a schematic aspect to it. He and Loach want to be fair to both sides of the Irish debate ...
A film that shows the slow push for freedom as the sticky, messy and lengthy process it really is.
the intensity of Murphy and Delaney's performances is shattering... 'Wind' never loses sight of the fact that sometimes a victim's wounds may be invisible to the eye, but every bit as painful as a stabbing...
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