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THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY Send This Review to a Friend
British director Ken Loach has come through with yet another powerful film, “The Wind that Shakes the Barley,” harking back to Irish resistance to England in an emotionally grabbing story that focuses on one town and its resisting inhabitants who fight for freedom only to see their position compromised, with painful results for those who want to stick to their guns and principles. Loach makes the film extremely realistic, with excellent performances all around, and a lyrical tone alongside of the inevitable bloodshed.
The film, now in commercial release, won top honors at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was showcased at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival. Set in the 1920s and scripted by Paul Laverty, the drama vividly shows the brutality of the British, which in turn creates resentment and brutality in fighting back.
Two brothers are at the core of the story. Pάdraic Delaney plays Teddy, who dedicates himself to fighting the British. His brother Damien, played in a superb performance by Cillian Murphy, intends to become a doctor. But what he sees all around him results in a crisis of conscience that leads him to also devote himself to the cause.
Loach and Laverty do not flinch from showing the deadly actions on both sides. When it comes to betrayal, the Republicans will resort to execution. They’ll also make examples of others who collaborate with the British. Violence begets violence, but there is never any doubt as to where the filmmakers’ sympathies lie.
The realism infused in the drama makes events believable, and at times “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” is gut-wrenching and terribly sad. The supporting cast is strong, and the total result is a film that is likely to stand as among the best of 2007. An IFC First Take release.
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