Displaying items by tag: Bring them Down movie

BRING THEM DOWN

Ireland/UK, 2024, 106 minutes, Colour.

Christopher Abbott, Barry Keoghan, Colm Meany, Nora-Jane Noone, Paul Ready, Aaron Heffernan, Susan Lynch.

Directed by Christopher Andrews.

Feuds often grim and violent. Family feuds fester. And, especially on the evidence of Bring Them Down, Irish feuds can be merciless – but also elements of forgiveness.

And, with feuds, there are always two points of view, at least. And this is what happens during this film, audiences needing to pay attention to see the transitions from one perspective of the savage events to another.

In fact, the opening scene is set 20 years earlier, Michael, a sheep farmer (an intense performance by American Christopher Abbott Irish accent and all) wildly driving his car, his girlfriend, Caroline, a passenger in the back, but his mother in the front, telling him that she is about to leave his father, more speed, a crash, Caroline’s face cut, his mother dead. A grim prologue for what will follow.

In the present day, Michael is still living with his old cantankerous father, Ray (a familiar role for actor Colm Meany). Michael is unmarried, looks after the sheep, Caroline having married his neighbour, Gary, and they have a son, Jack. But, times are difficult, finance hard. Gary is prepared to let his sheep go and develop some of his land building homes.

Jack is played by Barry Keoghen now coming into greater prominence with films like Banshees of Innisherin  and Saltburn.

At the centre of the feud is the disappearance of the two rams owned by Michael. They are reported to be dead. Then they appear at the market. Jack is involved, clashes between Michael and Gary.

Which brings us to the title. Is it that each side of the feud wants to bring the other down? Certainly. But, with the huge centring on the rams, then on the sheep flock, Jack and his cousin brutally cutting the legs off of Michael’s shee, Michael bringing the sheep down from the hills and having to destroy them in their suffering.

This is where the screenplay challenges the audience, telling the story from Michael’s perspective and judgements, then recounting the same events from Jack’s point of view. And, Ray, influencing Michael to be more vengeful.

There has been a long hardness in the Irish experience over the centuries, Irish oppressed, religious persecutions, famines, migrations, tough attitudes for survival. And this is a buildup in a final confrontation between Michael and Jack. But, we realise that under the hardness, there is some humanity, some tenderness. And the film ends with both, some more hope rather than anger.

1. The title, with reference to the sheep, sheep farmers?
2. Locations and atmosphere, the mountains, hills, the sheep in the countryside, homes and interiors, sheds? The musical score and atmosphere?
3. The prologue, the drive, Michael driving, not seen, Caroline in the back anxious, his mother, in the front, watching him, the plea to slow down, her leaving her husband, increasing the speed, the crash, Caroline and her face slashed, his mother dead?
4. 20 years later, Michael, with the sheep, taciturn, looking after his father, the difficult relationship, his father not knowing his wife had left, cranky, needing care? Michael and the sheep? The relationship with Caroline, her marrying Gary, Jack as her son?
5. The phone call, the rams dead, Michael going to the market, seeing the rams, the confrontation with Gary and Jack, the bystanders and support? The vehicles chase on the way back, Gary and Jack crashing, Michael giving Jack the lift?
6. The story of bringing the sheep down? The two versions? Michael’s version, Jack’s version? Michael, searching for the sheep, the legs cut, his carrying the ramps? Upset, with his father? The vengeance, Gary and his buildings, going to the site, struggle with the builder, his ear shot, killing the builder, removing his head, his father’s request for a head, in the bag? His later realisation that he had the wrong head?
7. Jack’s solution, with his cousin Aaron, the plan, the destroying of the sheep, the legs? Jack and his reaction, the confrontation with Aaron, not wanting to see him again? The blood, his mother, returning home, with his father?
8. Michael, with his father, his father’s collapse, Caroline and helping? Her tending Michael’s ear?
9. Jack, the realisation, running away, Michael pursuing him up the mountain, the Bluecoat decoy, gestating Michael, the fight, Michael stabbing Jack, carrying him down, giving to his mother, Caroline with the rifle?
10. The end, Michael wounded, going back to the house – and audience speculation about the future?

mubi release, January 2026