The Wind That Shakes The Barley

The Wind That Shakes The Barley ***

Directed by Ken Loach
Written by Paul Laverty

Starring:
Cilliam Murphy as Damien
Padraic Delaney as Teddy
Liam Cunningham as Dan
Gerard Kearney as Donnacha
William Ruane as Gogan
Orla Fitzgerald as Sinead

127 Minutes(Not Rated-Strong Violence, Language)
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"The Wind That Shakes the Barley" is not perfect, but it sure is powerful. With a title taken from an old little song that the Irish would sing during their quest for independence, it is clear what the plot will be about. It was the top winner at last years Cannes Film Festival, and while I haven't seen all of those that were on the final list of nominees it is clearly the best one(and on a side note, why is "Fast Food Nation" on that list at all?) Ken Loach has managed to take a film about history and invest the viewer in characters that are so realistic that its as if they were pulled straight from history. Actors like Cillian Murphy have impressed me in bouts-and this is clearly his best role alongside with "Breakfast on Pluto." The script is equally impressive, telling me about an incident between the Irish and the British, something that I knew next to nothing about, and managed to educate me in rich detail and at the same time tell a powerful and deep love story that borders the films main action. But then again the entire film is one big love story-not just between two people, but also between an entire country. "The Wind That Shakes the Barley' is a story of the struggle for independence, as well as the story of struggle for unity between family, friendships, and romantic relationships.

The film follows Damien, and Irish doctor who is about to move to England to run away from the hardships that his country is facing. Just when he is about to board the train he sees two British officers attacking an Irish train conductor, and he changes his plans right away. He becomes an IRA man(Irish Republican Army for those that do not know) and jump into the battle with the British, alongside his brother Teddy. Damien does not have a happy time, obviously, and is forced to watched many of his family get brutally tortured and injured, including Sinead, the woman that he loves, but has a hard time admitting. Eventually, as history and the film goes, Ireland ends up signing a treaty with Britain in 1922, but this leads to more problems when Ireland divides itself over it. One of the problems with the treaty is that it does not give all of Ireland independence, only part of it. And its either that all of Ireland is able to be free, or none of it is, dividing up the brothers as much as it divides Ireland.

It is easily heartbreaking to sit through the film, and it is such an impressive script and direction that Loach and screenwriter Laverty are a match made in heaven. There have been other IRA films in the past-"The Crying Game" comes to mind, but "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" tells the story through history, yes, but the main focus is of family and love. Damien's family and home almost parallels what is happening at the time. His brotherhood with Teddy is symbolic of Ireland and their struggle for unity. Meanwhile when the Treaty splits of Ireland it splits the two of them up. And Murphy and Delaney act as if they are actual brothers to the point where it makes it ten times more upsetting as the events of the final act continue. There isn't much happiness in the film, and it is bleak and dark, just like the beautiful cinematography. There is a brief interlude about ninety minutes in where Ireland is able to rejoice, but it is soon back lashed by more struggle. I'll admit that even though it is a deeply moving film to watch, it has its flaws. For example it does get slightly repetitive at times. The Irish fight, they yell, the British yell, they fight again, repeat. I was very grateful for the romantic interludes that you find yourself in at times to get away from the war a bit. Perhaps it could have been trimmed just a slight bit-not too much, though.

"The Wind That Shakes the Barley" manages to suck you in from the first few minutes-an opening credit sequence of the Irish playing soccer. It is here that you are introduced to the characters at their best-and the last time they will be at their best. There is a hint of innocence-even though there is a struggle it isn't very clear. It isn't predicted that their lives will go through so much for the next two years, and you almost wish that they would play forever. It is a difficult film to sit through, but eventually a rewarding one. It is dark, beautiful, and poetic, with great performances and directed by a master of history. It is the work of someone who really does care about what happened in Ireland those many years ago, and this is evident not only in direction but in great and real characters. This should be in early consideration for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars next year, and I will try to remember that come award season. This is simply a rewarding experience to sit through, and I will recommend it to anyone.