Bring Them Down

Chris Andrews' feature film directorial debut may not have come with much pomp or publicity, but Bring Them Down has found its place and recognition at smaller festivals. The immediate highlight, however, is the magnetic presence of Christopher Abbott and Barry Keoghan, who take on the weight of the narrative and deliver intense performances in a drama that bets on a raw, emotionally dense and sometimes brutal realism. What could be just another thriller with a rural setting is transformed, by the hands of the first-time writer-director, into a bitter reflection on family grudges, toxic masculinity and the silent legacy of violence.Chris Andrews, who until then had established himself as a cameraman and had only made three short films, surprises by structuring his narrative in a non-linear way. The film intersperses moments from the past and the present without announcing these transitions clearly, requiring the viewer to be extra attentive and patient in order to connect the loose dots through dialog and key events. Although this may cause some confusion in the first few minutes, it turns out to be the right choice to build up a progressive emotional weight and allow Michael O'Shea's (Abbott) story to develop in depth. Andrews chooses to make us create an initial bond with Michael, understanding his pain, his responsibilities and his relationship with a rural community that seems to be on the verge of a silent implosion.However, when the narrative turns to Jack (Keoghan), the other centerpiece of this growing conflict, the emotional involvement becomes shallower. Although his motivations are well delineated, there is a lack of empathy - or perhaps enough humanity - for the viewer to understand his attitudes with the same weight. This, coupled with some scenes of cruelty involving animals which, although they may reflect common practices in rural regions, generate real discomfort and a certain detachment. If the film sets out to present both sides of the same tragedy and raise moral questions about guilt, legacy and justice, in this respect it ends up stumbling, especially when trying to balance the weight of Michael and Jack's individual journeys.Even so, Bring Them Down off stands out for the honesty of its setting and its immersive photography, which practically transports us to the Irish countryside. The cold fields, the melancholy landscapes and the rusticity of the surroundings contribute to the film's oppressive and emotionally charged atmosphere. More than just a stage, Ireland here acts as a silent character, shaping its inhabitants with the weight of traditions, expectations and family rivalries that span generations.Abbott and Keoghan's performances are by far the film's greatest asset. While Abbott delivers a restrained performance, marked by a silent pain and a sense of duty that never leaves him, Keoghan goes from uncomfortable to enigmatic, carrying in his gaze a mixture of anger and unresolved frustration. It's the chemistry between the two - even when they're not on stage together - that holds the narrative together and gives body to Andrews' script. And it's also because of them that the film doesn't fall apart in its final stretch, even with the feeling of inconclusive endings and a certain frustration at the lack of **** short, Bring Them Down Off is not an easy movie, nor does it pretend to be. Its strength lies in the way it tackles thorny themes with a narrative that is stripped down but full of tension, and in the way it transforms silence, landscape and glances into narrative tools. It's not perfect and at times it strays from its original proposal, but it still marks Chris Andrews' debut as a name to watch closely. It's the kind of film that leaves a bitter taste, but it's precisely this taste that makes it memorable.

Apesar do ritmo, eu curti bastante o desenvolvimento sem pressa dessa richa entre vizinhos com as ovelhas de coadjuvantes de luxo, numa trama que não precisa de excessos para acontecer. No entanto, para além da edição tomando pontos de vistas diferente, não sobra muita coisa pro roteiro em termos de densidade e de carga dramática, de modo que o desinteresse é grande. Se não fosse pelo potencial dos atores, isso aqui seria um desastre absoluto.