Small Things Like These movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Small Things Like These

This dramatic movie is now playing in theaters.

RATING: PG–13

LENGTH: 1 hour 38 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: A

IN A NUTSHELL:

The story takes place in 1985 Ireland when a devoted family man discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent, in addition to shocking truths of his own.

Magdalene laundries functioned in Ireland until 1996. Unwed, pregnant teenage girls were sent to the convents to give birth and forced to give up their babies to adoption. Rumors turned to evidence that the young girls were being mistreated and abused as cheap labor.

The film was directed by Tim Mielants. Writing credits go to Enda Walsh and Claire Keegan. Cillian Murphy loved Claire Keegan’s novel “Foster” while on a train and admitted that he had to pull his hoodie over his face because he was crying. Despite the same last name, Enda Walsh is not related to Eileen Walsh, who stars in the movie. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were two of the producers of the film.

Already, the film has been nominated and won awards at various film festivals.

THINGS I LIKED:

Academy Award winner Cillian Murphy stars in movie and gives an excellent performance, as expected. He says so much with his body and face without saying a word. Hopefully, he’ll receive another “Best Actor” nomination for his role. He shows us the skill and power of not overacting in a role.
Academy Award nominee Emily Watson is a standout as Sister Mary. She will give you the chills.
The entire cast is fantastic. Other cast members include Eileen Walsh, Clare Dunne, and Zara Devlin.
The camera work and direction are fantastic.
There are more moments of silence and deep contemplation than actual dialogue
Some might wonder why a film would focus on Cillian Murphy scrubbing his coal-stained hands in the sink every night after work, but I thought it was powerful imagery of washing the world off of him, trying to forget what he had both seen and heard during the day.
It’s somewhat rare to have a movie without a musical score. The atmosphere and effective silence fill that space.
All of the Irish accents seemed spot on. I had the great pleasure of finally visiting Ireland a couple of years ago!
I love it when directors pay attention to details. We see that in this film. For example, to give us an idea of what the old Irish churches built of stone felt like, we see the cold air coming out of Emily Watson’s mouth as he speaks a sermon to local parishioners.
I like the title of the film because it refers to both the small things that Cillian Murphy witnessed, the small efforts he made to help one soul, and the small things that build up in our heart over the decades that cause sadness.
This is a somber film filled with sadness that forces us all to reflect on what we accept about ourselves and society.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The timeline jumps back and forth, which might confuse some viewers in the beginning.
The movie is a slow burn, taking its time to reveal how the experiences of a young boy have affected a grown man.
Some viewers are complaining that more time should have been spent on the actual Magdalene laundry girls; however, it’s extremely effective to show an ordinary man’s perspective of what he thinks and knows is happening right under his nose.
Many of the conversations take place as whispers, so it’s sometimes hard to understand what is being said.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be completely bored.
We see some evidence of physical and emotional abuse.
No profanity
Cruel religious people are portrayed.

THEMES:

Mercy, Kindness, and showing compassion to others
Morality
Perception
Reputation
Family
Fear
Suffering
The power of the Catholic church
Corruption
Courage to do the right thing
Rich vs. poor
Society’s expectations
Choices and consequences

FUNNY LINES:

None. This is a serious drama.

INTERESTING LINES:

“If you want to get on in life, there’s things you have to ignore so you can keep on.” – Eileen Furlong
“Just look after your business and your family.” – Mrs. Kehoe (Helen Behan)