Danny Boy

An interesting, emotive topic, and one which will have conversations going on both sides.

A pretty good watch, for such a dramatic situation, this was quite a low key affair, I appreciate subtle, but it just needed a little more passion injected into it.

I enjoyed the way the story was told, you quite literally see Bryan Wood's journey from national, decorated hero, to possible war criminal, and the role of Phil Shiner, was he after the truth, or was he out to vilify brave soldiers such as Wood? Make your own minds up.

Very well made, the action sequences looked terrific, best of all though was the acting, three top notch performances, Toby Jones, Anthony Boyle and Alex Ferns.

An interesting choice for the BBC it's fair to say, but it's well made and absorbing, I must also say how refreshing to have a one off, ninety minute drama, as opposed to yet another six part series.

Subtle, but good, 7/10.

A very interesting drama of a true story...nobody knows what happens in a war situation especially in a country like Iraq it must be difficult to know who your enemy is.

Iraqis that want to kill soldiers do not wear an army uniform they blend in with locals maybe as farmers.

Walk in the boots of a soldier and then decide.

It's hard to believe that Toby Jones has only the one BAFTA, He is Fast approaching national treasure status. It seems everything he appears in he is always the best actor on display and that's very much the case in Dannyboy.

Jones plays a hapless lawyer convinced that British soldiers have committed crimes against humanity whilst serving in Iraq. Anthony Boyle plays The soldier chiefly responsible for these crimes. What follows is a series of well-made flashbacks to what happened very well filmed just outside Watford not Iraq!

The only disappointment with this 90 minute one-off drama is the disappointing ending.

7/10.

In 1973-74 Thames Television produced a 26-part series, "The World at War" (WW2). It should be compulsory viewing for anyone who wants to be in government. Also for media influencers: editors, bloggers, writers, know-alls, angry shouters and hate-speechifiers. Because what we call "civil society" should be the complete opposite of what modern warfare really is: the organized destruction of civilization and civilized values.

The movie "Danny Boy" introduces us to a fundamental contradiction: how to assess battlefield behaviors using the cultural machinery of the lawyer's office and the wood-paneled courtroom. "It's normal for farmers there to carry guns. Does that make them soldiers?" The answer, I'm afraid, is yes. (Keep this in mind, all you NRA fanatics.)

A democracy tries to train its military personnel to be peace-defenders, but occasionally it sends them on anti-peace operations. A few days as a soldier in Iraq (the Bush and Blair Splendid Military Adventure) and I'd be ready to shoot anyone who wasn't wearing our uniform. But I'm prepared to believe that you, gentle reader, would be capable of more restraint.

Toby Jones dominates every scene he's in. The idealistic lawyer's office looks authentic, but the film's battle environment lacks the terror, the paranoia, and that hallucinatory menace and mania which left so many vets suffering from PTSD.

You want to take sides as you watch this movie? If you do, you're burning up your brain with futile emotion. "Danny Boy" just tells us how things were, how they are, and how they will be next time.

The Danny boy battle was fought by a seemingly inexperienced and frightened group of British soldiers in the Basra area in 2004. They entered the battlefield with fixed bayonets, expecting to be met with stiff resistance, but nonetheless it was a battle they won, taking some prisoners.

The problems that emerged which resulted in a prosecution by human rights lawyer Phil Shiner focused on the fact that the army was fighting simple farmers who were known to carry guns for their day to day work and the terrible reprisals and bloodshed was uncalled for. Apparently in Iraq it was common for Iraqi soldiers to pose as farmers to escape engagement. This biopic though interesting never really solves the problem and one suspects that they were indeed hard line soldiers after all. Phil Shiner's job would appear to have been a thankless task, on the whole. Good acting and huge sympathy for the soldiers made this a good watch. Phil Shiner seemed worn out by the demands of balancing the law against the needs of the military.