The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)

Featured Audience Ratings

• xGary X

  
  A pair of working class Irish brothers are caught up in the troubles during the social upheaval caused by the fight for independence in 1920. Set during the same period as Neil Jordan's Michael Collins, The Wind That Shakes The Barley is a far more personal representation of the… More
  A pair of working class Irish brothers are caught up in the troubles during the social upheaval caused by the fight for independence in 1920. Set during the same period as Neil Jordan's Michael Collins, The Wind That Shakes The Barley is a far more personal representation of the events depicted; while Jordan concentrated on the political movers and shakers of the period, Loach is far more concerned with the ordinary soldiers on the ground and the divisions that were created by the treaty of 1920. Although it centres around the ordinary working class folk of Ireland, I couldn't help the feeling that we didn't really get to know any of them on a personal level leaving little room for emotional attachments; we saw their political views and passions but learn little of them as people. Although its documentary style is more believable and gives a real sense of "being there" I felt Michael Collins had a stronger centre in the form of Liam Neeson's powerhouse performance and the wider scope had more value as a piece of entertainment. This film is still a powerful window on a tragic piece of Irish history however and if watched in conjunction with Jordan's biopic, makes for a extremely interesting companion piece.

• Reid V

  
  This film tackles head on the all-consuming power of an idea and the evolving nature of that idea in the face of reality. Like other films about the liberation movement in Northern Ireland such as Paul Greengrass' Bloody Sunday or Steve McQueen's Hunger, it is brutal,… More
  This film tackles head on the all-consuming power of an idea and the evolving nature of that idea in the face of reality. Like other films about the liberation movement in Northern Ireland such as Paul Greengrass' Bloody Sunday or Steve McQueen's Hunger, it is brutal, difficult to watch, and enraging. However, even in the face of these atrocities committed by the British, Loach shows that this isn't the timeless battle of good vs. evil, but rather one group of humans subjugating another. The monsters are in many ways innocent themselves and the oppressed are capable of the same barbarism showcased by their oppressors. It is an important film and one that is exceptionally well made.

• Dan S

  
  A well-done, powerful story concerning the battle for Ireland amongst the IRA (led by Cillian Murphy) against the power-hungry British during the 1920's. Director Ken Loach picked out some really gorgeous backdrops to film this story, and this add to his overall epic scope… More
  A well-done, powerful story concerning the battle for Ireland amongst the IRA (led by Cillian Murphy) against the power-hungry British during the 1920's. Director Ken Loach picked out some really gorgeous backdrops to film this story, and this add to his overall epic scope concerning the themes of loyalty, freedom, and family. Murphy's wonderful turn can not be understated, as he remains a scrawny but intense hero whose shift in character is handled exceptionally well. The movie overall is not a masterpiece, given it has some slow parts as well as a mega-depressing ending that needed a little more closure. Still a fine film in many respects, and definitely worth a view.

• Anthony L

  
  Historical films are to be approached with caution these days but in Loach you can trust. This is an uncomfortable but balanced history lesson, never really showing anyone in a particularly great light but never shying away from the human condition, warts and all. It's very well… More
  Historical films are to be approached with caution these days but in Loach you can trust. This is an uncomfortable but balanced history lesson, never really showing anyone in a particularly great light but never shying away from the human condition, warts and all. It's very well shot and the acting is superb, Cillian Murphy dislikers may want to rethink avoiding this one but Ken Loach fans can be rest assured it's another great film from him. Brilliant.

• familiar s

  
  This one was a let down. I've seen many such stories of revolutionaries (replace Irish by Indians) fighting against British, and compared to them, this seemed quite pale (no offense intended). Having said that, I gotta admit that it wasn't a total failure. The vicious… More
  This one was a let down. I've seen many such stories of revolutionaries (replace Irish by Indians) fighting against British, and compared to them, this seemed quite pale (no offense intended). Having said that, I gotta admit that it wasn't a total failure. The vicious circle of violence set through the British soldiers killing the Irish, and in retaliation, the Irish revolutionaries killing the British, enlightened me to realize the indepth implication of the quote: "An eye for an eye will make the world blind." Till date, I considered it to be BS. It's so simple, yet so difficult to understand that violence only breeds violence. No matter what the motive, the ultimate result of violence is destruction. (Before long, all this knowledge will evaporate into thin air.)

• Stella D

  
  fine acting and beautiful cinematography in this drama of the early years of the irish republican army. english director ken loach makes his sympathies known in the war against the occupation and they aren't with his fellow countrymen. many powerful scenes but the ending goes… More
  fine acting and beautiful cinematography in this drama of the early years of the irish republican army. english director ken loach makes his sympathies known in the war against the occupation and they aren't with his fellow countrymen. many powerful scenes but the ending goes over the top for effect. accents are a bit thick for americans but i totally respect loach's refusal to compromise

• Conner R

  
  Saw this in Ireland and it was like the best movie to see there. Cillian Murphy is unbelievable in this. It's a perfect example of a time when every aspect of a film is perfect from set to cinematography. The story is so well done that it doesn't even feel like a war movie.… More
  Saw this in Ireland and it was like the best movie to see there. Cillian Murphy is unbelievable in this. It's a perfect example of a time when every aspect of a film is perfect from set to cinematography. The story is so well done that it doesn't even feel like a war movie. The look of it is authentic as can be and complements the tone nicely. Again, the acting is amazing as well as the direction. It's so realistic it's almost scary.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"I tried not to get into this war, and did, now I try to get out, and can't."</i> A sympathetic look at Republicans in early 20th century Ireland, and two brothers who are torn apart by anti-Brit rebellion. <center><font size=+2… More
  <i>"I tried not to get into this war, and did, now I try to get out, and can't."</i> A sympathetic look at Republicans in early 20th century Ireland, and two brothers who are torn apart by anti-Brit rebellion. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> This fascinating film about the Irish Republican Army in 1920s Ireland has an improvisatory feel about it. Not many scenes in the movie feel scripted. There are many scenes showing groups of men and women arguing, debating and fighting, but it all feels natural, and like the way these kinds of moments would play out in real life. Indeed, thinking back on the movie, it seems like much of it took place without dialogue, or at least without significant dialogue. This may be an odd comparison, but it reminded me of Michael Cimino's style of film-making in "The Deer Hunter" and "Heaven's Gate": the emphasis on male solidarity up against forces too strong to oppose, the environment almost becoming a character in the film, the loosely choreographed scenes and the fact that much information is conveyed through imagery rather than words. The nominal focus of the film is on two brothers who start out on the same side of the Irish/British conflict, but who become opposed to one another as the IRA fragments into conflicting factions. The brother against brother plot line is of course meant to symbolize a larger and more universal struggle, but it's not dealt with in a heavy-handed manner. A very good and overlooked film.

• paul s

  
  An interesting and arresting period piece that well captures the idealism and the rag-tag elements of those who first banded together to throw off the yoke of Britain. After fighting for a free country, two brothers end up opposing each other over the peace treaty that still places… More
  An interesting and arresting period piece that well captures the idealism and the rag-tag elements of those who first banded together to throw off the yoke of Britain. After fighting for a free country, two brothers end up opposing each other over the peace treaty that still places Ireland under British rule (independant but owing "loyalty" to the crown. Both site the sacrifices made to get to the treaty, but while one thinks it is a positive step, the other thinks it is a goal-line fumble. When the latters' faction begins to disrupt the new provisional government, the first brother, now a shaker and mover in the new regime, seeks out his brother and has him executed. A "nasty bit of work" as the Brits would say. Overtones of "meet the new boss, same as the old boss" run through the second half of the film as power oversteps idealism and as usual when you get any group of people in a room, there are as many differing opinions as there are people. In the end everyone is a victim, mostly of their own misplaced idealism. The film has some harrowing and very "grue" moments, and yet oftimes seems somehow detached, as if you're watching events unfold from a distance. What does shine through is the totalitarianism of their ideals and the inner strength it takes to live up to those ideals.

• Ross C

  
  Not a pleasant movie by any means. Almost constant shouting and conflict, and all seemingly for nothing. A brutal account of rural Irish life around the time of Ireland's independence.

• Tim S

  
  Powerful film from Ken Loach with a great performance from Cillian Murphy. I learned a lot, but there were times that I felt disconnected from the characters, but I understand that Loach was trying to pack a lot of information into the film.

• Ken S

  
  I know this film is supposed to be great, but I just couldn't get excited about it

• Luke B

  
  Similar to Braveheart in its freedom achieving against the British empire. Here however it is handled slightly better. Although the English are still shown as mostly one dimensional characters who mutter the single repeated line "You Irish bastards" at least there are… More
  Similar to Braveheart in its freedom achieving against the British empire. Here however it is handled slightly better. Although the English are still shown as mostly one dimensional characters who mutter the single repeated line "You Irish bastards" at least there are attempts at humanity with one officer detailing the stresses of the soldiers in WW1 and a Scottish soldier who sympathises with the Irish. Probably after watching Braveheart. The real great moments of this film detail the hypocrisy of just about everyone. Murphy is brilliant as first the reluctant executioner and then the hard ass patriot. The film shows how he chastises his ex collegues for shooting an unarmed man in the back when it is one of his own, yet he has no problems when it was the English. We also get a great counterpart in Delaney who goes from no compromise, to taking the wealth of the rich to finally settling with the Brits. It is the arguments of these two that drive the film. Just a shame that it doesn't really take off until the midway point. Beautifully shot, but awkwardly paced in moments where it can't balance politics, action and drama.

• Bruce B

  
  Moving says it all in one word, But first film I have rated that high and not added it to my Favorite Films list. If you have 2 plus hours sit down and enjoy some of the younest fine acting you will see today.

• Pierluigi P

  
  The struggle of Irish people to obtain their freedom is not a new subject in the vast film universe, and Ken Loach approaches it in an honest and correct way. The story shows all the suffering, sweat, blood and tears without any ornament. the ending is moving, and profoundly bitter.

• Curtis L

  
  I didn't even know this happened so recently. Good cast, and interesting for the first half. The second half I started to wander my eyes around the living room. I liked that this movie actually has people stutter and mess up words but do it realistically and without drawing… More
  I didn't even know this happened so recently. Good cast, and interesting for the first half. The second half I started to wander my eyes around the living room. I liked that this movie actually has people stutter and mess up words but do it realistically and without drawing attention to itself. Most movies everyone speaks perfectly.

• Dr Blood  

  
  This film is a "Braveheart" (or even "Rob Roy") wannabe but with no big name stars, even more unintelligible dialogue, a lack of any acting skills anywhere and a contrived storyline that is only designed to make anyone British watching it ashamed to be so. A lot of… More
  This film is a "Braveheart" (or even "Rob Roy") wannabe but with no big name stars, even more unintelligible dialogue, a lack of any acting skills anywhere and a contrived storyline that is only designed to make anyone British watching it ashamed to be so. A lot of people with "agendas" will overate "The Wind That Shakes The Barley" purely because of its subject matter. It's just nothing very original and isn't particularly well done.

• Mike S

  
  I had no prior knowledge of the particular conflict portrayed in this movie, but despite that it managed to keep my interest all the way through, thanks to its good story, nice pacing and excellent directing. It could have been even better though if the ending wasn't so… More
  I had no prior knowledge of the particular conflict portrayed in this movie, but despite that it managed to keep my interest all the way through, thanks to its good story, nice pacing and excellent directing. It could have been even better though if the ending wasn't so depressing.

• Jeremy S

  
  The winner of the the Palme d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, this film had a lot to live up to. By that it mean the Cannes winner is almost always an independent slightly controversial 'out there', 'cutting edge' film, films like Elephant with it's… More
  The winner of the the Palme d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, this film had a lot to live up to. By that it mean the Cannes winner is almost always an independent slightly controversial 'out there', 'cutting edge' film, films like Elephant with it's unique camera shots and Pulp Fiction with it's fragmented story line. By these standards this film was not what one would expect from a Cannes winner. Yes it could be seen as controversial for it's strongly anti-British mentality and for dealing with the politically charged subject of Irish Independence, but it is by no means 'cutting edge' or 'out there'. The film's narrative and film style is traditional, even the title comes from a 19th-century Irish song. More than anything the film is an emotional gripping drama at has strong relevance for out troubled world today. Personally, from my Irish English heritage, the film resonated with me reminding me of the stories my grandfather would tell me but nowhere near as moving. The subject is still a 'touchy one' in my household today. In the end the film fell short of greatness. The message of brother vs brother drowning the more important over arching message of national independence. Film's that come to mind Ghandi and Bravehaert dealt with similar subjects and yet were far more powerful.

• William D

  
  [size=3][color=black]The Wind that Shakes the Barley is not a great film, but it's a good one. It has a seriousness of purpose and an extreme, brutal realism that I respect tremendously.[/color][/size] [img]http://www.history.sa.gov.au/WindThatShakesTheBarley_small.jpg[/img]… More
  [size=3][color=black]The Wind that Shakes the Barley is not a great film, but it's a good one. It has a seriousness of purpose and an extreme, brutal realism that I respect tremendously.[/color][/size] [img]http://www.history.sa.gov.au/WindThatShakesTheBarley_small.jpg[/img] [size=3][color=black]The film also has Cillian Murphy, one of the most interesting young actors working today. There are just a handful of young men right now exhibiting talent and depth on a par with Sean Penn. Murphy is one of them. I would love to see him acting opposite Penn. [/color][/size] [size=3][color=black](You [u]must[/u] see Murphy in Breakfast on Pluto, one of the most under-rated performances - and films - of 2005.)[/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]The Wind that Shakes the Barley takes place in Ireland in 1919. It opens with a lovely scene of healthy, happy Irish boys having a game of cricket. The music is lovely. The Irish countryside never looked more beautiful, verdant and alive.[/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]Then reality comes crashing in. Ten minutes after the cricket match ends, you feel like you're lying in a ditch after being beaten by maniacal thugs. The film in a sense slaps you in the face to wake you out of your romantic notions of the Irish countryside. This film definitely is not going to be about the sunny side of life.[/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]Ireland was at that time in a brutal war with the English, and Director Ken Loach is taking you into the heart of that conflict. [/color][/size][size=3][color=black]One thing I really appreciate about a tough director: he's not going to let you look away. If there is injustice going on in the world, or if there has been injustice, by God, he's going to make sure you see it. We get to see many of the brutal realities of war, including the on-screen execution of a frightened teenage boy. This was absolutely horrendous, but not pointlessly gruesome. That was a crucial scene, conveying the unspeakable, inhuman acts one sometimes must take in war.[/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]The film has almost no music, which is highly unusual in this day in age. There's also no comic relief. The film is hard, unpretty, and ultra-realistic. There's also no glory in it. This is not a romantic dramatization of war. No slow-motion photography. No dramatic effects. Just the blunt truths of it. [/color][/size] [size=3][color=black][/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]And no heroes. [/color][/size][size=3][color=black]The film could have kept it simple, allowing for "good guys" and "bad guys" to be clearly differentiated. But there's a major political turning point in the film, and after that the Irish Republicans begin battling one another. What I [u]love[/u] is that Loach makes each side have something compelling to say. Both camps are right, in a sense, which makes the bloodshed and ferocity in the last portion of the film all the more excruciating.[/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]It certainly seems pointless. But Loach won't let you escape the moral dilemmas with a facile "war is madness" stance. Yes, it becomes madness, but it's a madness that seems impossible to avoid. There are no easy answers here. Picking up your gun is both crucially necessary and maddeningly pointless here. This conundrum borders on the Shakespearean, quite reminiscent of the American film "Munich" of 2005. (A film that got some praise, but not as much as it deserved.)[/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]The downside to The Wind that Shakes the Barley is that its humorlessness and relentlessness get quite plodding. I felt like I was being hit over the head repeatedly with a blunt instrument. On one level I appreciated that, given that people on screen were getting hit with blunt instruments. In a sense I think Loach wanted us to feel their pain. But I need a film to have a certain amount of lyricism. The documentary-like style worked for me only part of the time. As the film wore on, it became tiresome to some degree.[/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]It was almost like Loach was operating with only a portion of his creative team. He had the great cinematographer and art director, and he had the great actors. He was just missing the great writer, to really make it take flight. Something was just missing.[/color][/size] [size=3][color=black]But there are extraordinary aspects to this film, and I do recommend it.[/color][/size] [size=3]**************************[/size] [size=3]This is the first film by Ken Loach that I've seen. It certainly makes me want to see more. It also has got me wanting to do more reading on the Irish struggle. This is something I really should know more about. Like most Americans, I only have a superficial gloss on the Irish conflict. That is not enough.[/size] [size=3][/size]

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