In the Land of Saints and Sinners

Despite a great cast (and Neeson does not fit that category in my book) the film is badly paced and ultimately just collapses under the weight of its own Oirish stereotypes. Apart from the bad language (which is quite authentically Irish) it’s like not much has changed since The Quiet Man. Some of the dialogue is just excruciatingly clichéd. Quality of the accents is mixed. None of the characters elicits much sympathy or interest. Landscapes are nice but as someone who grew up in Ireland of that era I found the recreation of the period quite poor.

Not earth shattering, but better than the paint by numbers film it could have been, this thriller showcases Liam Neeson doing what he does best and Kerry Condon in savage form. Their performances elevate the story - which doesn't quite hang together, to be honest - above the formulaic route it takes.

Before 2008's Taken turned Liam Neeson into the go-to geriatric action hero we now know him from all those formulaic popcorn movies in which he kicks and punches his way to a paycheck, he used to act in serious films like Schindler's List. The last time he graced us with something different was 2019's moving Ordinary Love, and now in American director Robert Lorenz's new film, Neeson returns to his homeland of Ireland in a drama-thriller set against the Troubles in the 70s which lands him midway between the two extremes of his filmography. Neeson's Finbar is a widower with a secret set of skills and a double life unbeknown to his best friend, Ciaran Hinds' local Garda Vincent and Niamh Cusack's pseudo-romantic interest/neighbour Rita. When a terrorist group led by Kerry Condon's Doireann tries to lie low in their remote village in Donegal after instigating a bombing in Belfast, these characters are set on a collision path with violent consequences. Played out like an introspective Irish Western exploring themes of redemption and regrets, Lorenz proves a proficient director with aims for poetic lyricism, and while the accessibility of cheaper drone shots allows him to put the beautiful Irish landscape on maximum display, his sincerity, personified at its worst in an African refugee fiddler who fills the local pub with diddly music, is so overwhelming, it almost chokes the film out. As younger characters wander in from a Martin McDonagh movie, the screenplay is essentially a cocktail of tropes and cliches that owes a debt to any film with an old-timer considering retirement, even though I cannot say they didn't sell these recycled storylines well enough, so that by the time the film closes with your typical big action set-piece shoot-out, you can't help but get swept up by it.

Good cast and locations. A lot of attention to detail in recreating 74 with the cars and fashions does give an authentic feel. Just felt the story struggled to get across the backstory and relationships and came away unsatisfied and cliched.

Probably one of Liam’s better action films in the past decade. Great scenery, a decent plot, and some terrific dialogue make it a great way to spend a movie night.

Strong cast Good story Great study of characters and keeps you watching Don't expect an action movie Really enjoyed it

Terrible, Terrible accents. Thank the lord for the scenery. Butchering the Irish accent should be made an offence.

I was expecting another version of Taken as is Liam’s way of late but found this a more subtle and thoughtful offering from the wee big man.

Loved it, great performances by all the big guns, really earthy and authentic, dark enough for my taste, I'm resisting watching it again for another while, beats the hell out of those foreign attempts at thrillers the fine cast have been involved in over the years, a return to bushes, rushes and bog, it has it's own charm.

Brilliant 👏movie Liam nieson is legendary in this flik great story line 5 out of 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌟 from rachael and philip dublin ireland 🇮🇪