Bring Them Down: LFF Film Review
Bring Them Down, written and directed by Christopher Andrews in his directorial debut, was selected for the Official Competition at the London Film Festival this year but was beaten by the animation Memoir of a Snail.
This thriller tells the story of two feuding farming families – the O’Sheas and the Keeleys – in rural Ireland. The neighbouring shepherding families have been at war for years and things finally come to a head when Jack Keeley (Barry Keoghan) steals two of the O’Sheas’ sheep and passes them off as their own, despite telling Michael O’Shea (Christopher Abbott) that they’re dead. This sets off a chain of events that will have a devastating impact on both families.
The film is split into two perspectives. We start with Michael, who is forced to take on all the farming responsibilities due to his father Ray’s (Colm Meaney) ailing health. He is under pressure and cannot afford to lose any more rams. Around midway through, the film recounts the earlier events from the perspective of Jack, a young man who lives with his father Gary (Paul Ready) and mother Caroline (Nora-Jane Noone), who also happened to date Michael years ago. These perspectives then collide for the nail-biting (and darkly funny) climactic scenes.
This structure makes the story infinitely more interesting. The premise and character dynamics are intriguing anyway but I immediately became more into it once the perspective changed and we got to see Jack’s POV. Once the switch happens, you learn what led to the sheep theft and better understand the Keeleys’ motives. This also helps you put the puzzle pieces together and create a fuller picture of what has transpired.
The game of tit-for-tat gets very dark and distressing. There are scenes of graphic violence (against humans) and animal cruelty, the latter of which I found very hard to stomach. I never expected a war over sheep to become so brutal but they’re not just sheep – it’s the shepherds’ livelihoods and legacy at stake.
Keoghan was perfect for Jack because he’s so good at playing characters who are a little off and can’t be trusted. But I was more impressed by Abbott, who speaks with a convincing Irish accent and even talks to his father in Irish. It’s a difficult accent to master! Michael is a complicated man who keeps his anger and resentment bubbling just underneath the surface – and it could show itself at any time.
Bring Them Down is a gripping and wildly unpredictable thriller that isn’t for the faint-hearted.
Seen at the London Film Festival. No release date yet