45/33
I’ll start by saying that this film was produced
Line of Events
Four turbulent decades during the Northern Ireland Rebellion. The real Dolores Price was married to Irish actor Stephen Rea for two decades (1983-2003). During this time, Rea appeared in the film for which she is perhaps best known in the United States: the 1992 romantic thriller The Crying Game. In that film, Rea plays Fergus, a highly reluctant and controversial member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
The series is great, the acting is great, and the overall story is captivating
It’s always great to see something from Northern Ireland on TV or in film, but it usually feels like a “B” production at its best. I’m excited to say that’s not the case with Say Nothing, a series that I think people all over the world will watch and praise. This kind of thing is usually only of interest to those from the island, those directly involved or history buffs. But I think this will appeal to a wider audience because it is presented as a drama series with characters at its heart.
the accent slaughtered me to the point where it makes me cringe
I can’t tell you how many times I have watched something and heard Northern Ireland. I have always wondered if we had any great actors (not Liam Neeson) who could play these roles. We don’t know where they have been hiding, but they have finally been found! The acting throughout the show was excellent and it is great to see some homegrown talent getting some much needed and deserved recognition.
The show certainly keeps its historical and cultural impact in mind, despite being mostly character driven
I didn’t know most of the characters in this show, but if at least one or two aren’t known in the UK I will be surprised (especially the actors who played the Price sisters). I haven’t read the book yet, although I would imagine it to be more historical and focused on the facts that happened during the Troubles. It does a great job of developing the characters and portraying all sides of the characters involved, and shows a lot of emotions in people that we would probably want to see in one dimension in real life. My only reservation about this show is that I felt the story of the Troubles was a bit one-sided.
There are two sides to the Belfast conflict though, and the Protestant/Union side seems to be completely left out
The focus is of course on the IRA/Republican movement, so it’s not really surprising that they are the main character. I think they did a good job of showing how ugly things got and how the lines blurred between good and evil, even in times of war, and even when you are convinced that yours is the only correct opinion. I think this will be difficult for a lot of people, especially those directly affected and still grieving the loss of loved ones. I hope people can enjoy it for what it is, a great piece of television about a subject that most of the world has probably forgotten or even heard of, and I hope that prejudice doesn’t get in the way of enjoying a good show.
