Displaying items by tag: Niamh Algar

CALM WITH HORSES/THE SHADOW OF VIOLENCE

Ireland, 2019, 100 minutes, Colour.

Cosmo Jarvis, Barry Keoghan, Niamh Algar, David Wilmot, Ned Dennehy.

Directed by Nick Rowland.

Calm with Horses does not immediately indicate the narrative and tone of this strong psychological drama. However, the meaning emerges, especially in regard of the central character, nicknamed Arm, and his relationship with his autistic son, Jack.

This is an Irish film, with Irish intensity, filmed in a country town yet with some magnificent mountain scenery in the background. The introduction is to Arm, a strong performance by Cosmo Jarvis (Shogun, Warfare, and the Australian film, Inside), former boxer, now an enforcer for the local drug dealing family, and hesitating in brutal retribution, especially seen with an old man who has raped a young woman from the family. Arm’s link with the family is through his associate, Dympna (another interesting role for Barry Keoghan). Then the elders of the family, who can exercise charm at birthday parties but who are ruthless in wreaking vengeance on enemies.

Audiences are not used to seeing this kind of drug dealing family and enforcing in an Irish country context.

However, the film is a character study of Arm, revealing his limitations, his dependence on the goodwill and orders of the older dealers, some estrangement from his sympathetic wife, Ursula, and some encounters with his son. As the story progresses and more demands are made of Arm and his inability to actually kill, the film moves between his better awareness of his son, encounters and discussions with his wife, the boy having tantrums, Arm sometimes bewildered, but loving the boy.

Ultimately, there is a confrontation between Arm and the older dealers and their ruthlessness, pressure on him, physically wounded, some final confrontations, and some moral decisions on the part of Arm, whether a life of violence or some humanity with his son.

1. The title, the focus on Jack, autistic, his outbursts, calm with horses, relationship with his mother, with his father?
2. The Irish setting, the small town, homes, gatherings, farms and countryside, mountains and backroads? Atmosphere? The musical score?
3. The introduction to Arm? In the car, his monologue, violence, background as a boxer, the Devers family, violent and enforcer? Character, relationship with Ursula, the separation, his visits, conversations, her reactions? His relationship with Jack, presence, absences, playing with him, frightening him? Ursula and her plans, to move? Jack and his disabilities?
4. Arm and the commission against the rapist, the flashbacks to the party, the girls, the drinking, the young girl in her room, the rapist entering? Arm and his confrontation, the man admitting his guilt, the bashing? The later meetings, the discussion about killing him? Arm with the stone, unable to kill? The aftermath, the family putting pressure on Arm, the confrontation, the naked body hanging? The consequences?
5. Dympna, his role in the family, enforcing, the relationship with Arm, urging him against Ursula? The friendship, the communications, company together, driving? Dympna putting on the pressure, with the gun?
6. The family, the drug dealing, the enforcers? The characters of the brothers, Hector, family, jovial, yet sinister? At the party and cheerful? At home, his wife, the confrontation with Arm, the attack on Hector, injuring him, the issue of the money and the jewels? The wife, cups of tea, talk, persuasion, the return of the jewels?
7. Paudie, his age, sinister, brutal, the pressure on Arm? The hanging body?
8. The growing pressure on Arm, his being used, not always intelligent, the pressure from Dympna, the encounters with Paudie and Hector, the buildup to the final violence? His wounds, the blood?
9. Going to see Jack, the background of outings with Jack, to the fair, leaving him alone, Ursula and her reprimands, discussions with him – and a possible future?