Small Things Like These (2024) - Film Review

      **Small Things Like These, 2024**

      Directed by Tim Mielants.

      Starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Watson, Michelle Fairley, Eileen Walsh, Zara Devlin, Clare Dunne, Helen Behan, Amy De Bhrún, Mark McKenna, Agnes O’Casey, Joanne Crawford, Abby Fitz, Aoife Gaffney, and Aidan O’Hare.

      **SYNOPSIS:**

      In 1985, devoted father Bill Furlong uncovers disturbing secrets hidden by the local convent and reveals shocking truths about himself. Throughout Tim Mielants’s *Small Things Like These*, Cillian Murphy’s character Bill Furlong is often seen diligently scrubbing away dirt, likely coal from his factory, with the camera focused on his hands. Set in a small Irish town in 1985, where the community turns a blind eye to the convent's abuse masquerading as reform for so-called troublesome women, Bill’s efforts serve as a metaphor for those choosing to wash their hands of the surrounding corruption and move forward.

      Bill doesn’t conform to the typical mold; he is a kind-hearted man willing to forgive debts for struggling families or lend money to a young boy facing hardships with an alcoholic father. However, he hesitates to confront the convent, governed by the unyieldingly harsh and subtly threatening Sister Mary, played by Emily Watson. One day, while delivering coal, he witnesses a mother coercing her daughter (Zara Devlin) into the church. Later, while revisiting to correct an invoice, he observes the same girl in distress. This troubling scenario weighs heavily on his mind, conveyed through Cillian Murphy’s remarkably subtle performance. The Oscar-winning actor may not have grandiose acting moments, yet he deftly navigates the conflicting emotions of guilt and quiet sorrow.

      Finding it increasingly difficult to remain passive, Bill poses a troubling question to his wife, Eileen (Eileen Walsh): “What if it were one of our daughters?” Her response, “It’s not,” reflects a frustrating “I got mine” mentality that sadly lingers in today’s society. His urgent desire to make a difference is further fueled by haunting childhood flashbacks, many of which resurface during the Christmas season. Although Bill’s tragic backstory, which shapes the events of 1985, is somewhat less gripping and purposely vague in parts, the central tension revolves around whether he will take a stand against the convent, despite the potential repercussions for his five daughters.

      Adapted from a novel by Claire Keegan, with a screenplay treatment by Enda Walsh, *Small Things Like These* is particularly significant as it draws from real historical events within a darker chapter of Irish history. The film effectively avoids leading to a grand, climactic conclusion, instead presenting a moody, tense, and character-focused narrative, where choices and their consequences create profound drama with significant implications. It is also rich in detail, both small and large.

      **Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★**

      Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He serves as the Reviews Editor for Flickering Myth. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at [email protected]