'71

In 1971 I was living on the fringes of Derry's Bogside. On several occasions my home was 'collateral damage' in a number of bombings and I remember lying on the floor of my bedroom in case I might fall victim to a stray bullet from one of the gun-battles raging outside. I drank in pubs that would be bombed in time and I was on the march on Bloody Sunday. Things were bad in Derry in 1971 but they were a lot worse in Belfast which is where and when Yann Demange's terrific movie "'71" is set. Maybe it's because I had first-hand experience but I've never really taken to films about 'the Troubles'. Irish film-makers have usually shied away from the subject, (a rare good exception being Jim Sheridan's "In the Name of the Father" and that was set mostly in England), leaving it up to the English and the Americans to tackle them, mostly ineptly, (exceptions again being Alan Clarke's made-for-television film "Elephant" and Steve McQueen's "Hunger"), so my expectations of "'71" were far from high, yet I believe this will be the film about the Northern Ireland 'Troubles' by which all others will be judged. Firstly nothing happens on screen that seems far-fetched or exaggerated, (and here is a film that doesn't pull its punches in showing the collusion between the British Government and paramilitaries on both sides). It's a film that could never have been made in the seventies and even 20 years ago it would have been banned here in Northern Ireland. Politically, it's dynamite but it's as a nail-biting, nerve-shredding thriller that it really makes its mark. In may respects it's a very minimalist work, taking place almost entirely over the course of one night and is really made up of two lengthy set-pieces. It's about Private Hook, (a superb Jack O'Connell), a young British solider who, on his first day of active service in Belfast, is separated from his platoon and forced to go on the run in a totally alien landscape where he is seen as 'the enemy' to be hunted down and killed. We've seen this story before. In "Odd Man Out" James Mason was the IRA man on the run in an equally treacherous Belfast but as they say, it's a tale as old as time. Outstanding American examples have included "Deliverance" and "Southern Comfort", albeit in very different settings, but few have packed the punch of "'71"; this is a terrifyingly tense thriller.

It's also the feature debut of Yann Demange who handles the material with all the assurance of a Paul Greengrass. He shoots it as if it were a newsreel, using mostly a hand-held camera, (the DoP is Tat Radcliffe), putting the audience in the centre of things. For once, all the performances are superb. In the past actors playing either Ulstermen or the occupying forces have often been reduced to nothing more than mouth-pieces; not here. Everyone on screen is utterly believable. This is one of the finest films you will see all year.

"71" (2014 release from the UK; 100 min.) brings the story of Gary Hook, a British soldier. As the movie opens, we see Gary training with the rest of his platoon. It isn't long before they are informed that they are being sent to deal with "a deteriorating situation in Belfast". Before shipping out, Gary spends some quality time with his son. Upon arriving in Belfast, it isn't long before the platoon is sent out in the streets of Belfast. Due to a blunder by the platoon's lieutenant, soon they find themselves in the midst of a street riot, and they retread. In all of the confusion, Hook is left behind and he runs for his life, being chased by several Catholics bent on killing him. At this point we are 15-20 min. into the movie. Will Hook make it out alive? To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Several comments: this is the feature debut from French director Yann Demange, and what a remarkable debut it is. "71" is both a top notch political movie and action thriller. How many movies can make that claim? The tension that builds up in the street riots is incredible, and remain palpable later on. Once Hook escapes the first immediate danger, he catches his breath, and only then realizes the horrible position that he finds himself in, and every choice he makes from here on out can be the wrong one. As to the political side, things are not clearly black and white, and in fact the comment is made several times in the movie that "the situation is confused" and we can't always tell who the "good" guys and the "bad" guys are. I suspect that this is an accurate reflection of how things were like back then in Northern Ireland. The cast is, for me anyway, a cast of unknowns. Jack O'Connell as Hook brings an incredible performance. Last but not least, there is an outstanding score for this movie, courtesy of David Holmes (best known for his scores from the Ocean's 11-12-13 series).

The movie opened finally opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and I couldn't wait to see it. The early evening screening where I saw this at was attended okay. Even though I had high expectations going in, they were met, and then some. In fact, the only negative point I will mention is that at times I had trouble understanding all the lives, due to the (fake or real, I'm not sure) Northern Irish accents. Bottom line: if you are in the mood for a top notch quality political and action drama, you cannot go wrong with this. "71" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I will be honest and say that I generally am touchy about films using the sectarian terrorist organizations, the troubles, or other aspects of Northern Irish politics as a base for thrillers or films – mainly because when they do, they do so in a rather heavy-handed and thoughtless way such as The Devil's Own, The Jackal, or many other such films. So with '71 there is a certain odd feeling that uses the streets of Belfast in the early 1970's as a launching point for a thriller involving British soldiers, terrorists on both sides of the divide, the RUC, and civilians of the time. This is not only an odd feeling that I had, but it is also one that the film itself seems to be all too aware of.

To talk generally the film does provide some good tension, with its fast pace, shifting ground, and hand-held camera-work; when it is doing this it is fine – not perfect, but fine. The sense of being trapped between all sides is apparent, and with the stakes high it does move well with what it does. The need to have all the players be clear and be positioned does rather reduce the pace a bit, but what does limit the film a bit is, ultimately, the politics of it. So, for some of this it is not the film that does this but rather the viewer – I guess particularly if you are familiar with the Troubles then it is hard to detach your personal opinions from the drama, which can make some of it harder to get into. The bigger thing though is that the film itself is conscious of this being a real situation, and as such it does know it carries a certain weight with it compared to if it had created this story in a fictional situation.

The cast carry this weight too, although mostly they do play out their characters as a more straightforward thriller – which helps the film be just that. O'Connell, Harris, Dormer, and others all play solid roles in the thriller side, even if the weight of the politics stop them just being genre devices, or being too details as real people. The pacing and structure of the film is good, and mostly it does manage to present the city streets of the Belfast roadblocks and no-go areas as oppressive and ensnaring if you are on the wrong side of them.

So as a thriller it mostly does work well thanks to the shifting narrative, and pace of delivery, however it is a film that senses the weight of the real story that it is using for the purposes of the thriller, and this knowledge does make a difference across the delivery.

What a roller coaster of a film from beginning to end - Jack O Connell is brilliant and the supporting cast are thoroughly believable and the acting top class- my favourite star for the future Corey McKinley who plays the loyalist boy; he highlights the difference between Catholic and Loyalist which make the film a history lesson as well as a movie- its an advert for the British Film Industry - when making a film about the troubles to capture the mood of the time and to bring that to the screen depicting the different factions and hatred that came with it is difficult but whoever researched the period, got the costume and feel of the City of Belfast spot on created a Gem. The riot scene felt as if you were there in the thick of it, the building tension between the thin barricade of soldiers and the baying mob. This film is worthy of awards and I hope it gets lots as it will encourage others to make similar movies. Go and see it, ignore some of the inane comments on here that this isn't true- believe me having been on the receiving end of a riot at the Divis flats mid 1980's I can tell you it was like reliving the moment. The film captures the distorted angry faces the looks of shock and fear- very well made film indeed

War tends to find its way in movies the way a car chase, love triangle or training sequence does, as a backdrop for profound introspection (Apocalypse Now) or profound absurdity (Battleship). '71, directed by Yann Demange, which screened at the New York Film Festival, does not concern itself with the impossibility of unraveling the politics behind violence, or implant an over-the- top action sequence, but uses the Northern Ireland conflict of the late 60's and early 70's as context, not base.

The Catholic/ Protestant, or even English/ Irish conflict is not covered in great detail which allows the film to construct its own sensibility: a netherworld where an English soldier sent to Belfast, Gary Hook (Jack O'Connell), must find trust and a way back. Houses are not homes, but bunkers for families supposedly hiding guns and trying to raise children. Bombs are the weapons of choice and children are the only ones with answers, creating a sci-fi texture to the film. This is a thriller and the plot is something you can find out about when you actually see the movie.

War, conflict (whatever you want to call killing a bunch of people) is an abyss not just of death, but of trust—who values my life? No one. Yet Demange does not attempt to make an affected statement about war, and focuses on the grey of the conflict with Gary as his sharp, contrasting center. As Gary slowly emerges through the desolate streets of Belfast he is greeted by a boy (Corey McKinley) who seems to be his only salvation. The boy struts, demanding respect as he cusses out his fellow "comrades" in a scene that could be strait out of Blade Runner.

During the Q&A after the film Demange recalled not wanting McKinley to rehearse too much, he didn't want an actor, but a real boy who in such a setting needs an armor of bravado to stay alive. McKinley, who Demange found at a boxing ring (he's 9), preferred boxing to rehearsing in between scenes, and it paid off. Besides O'Connell McKinley is the most memorable actor in the film. O'Connell, who made a mark with This is England and the series Skins, recently burst into films consciousness with the prison drama Starred Up, and is about to find himself in epic American waters with Angelina Jolie's directorial debut Unbroken. At only twenty-four years of age O'Connell has managed to create a provoking and mature persona. With a gruff low voice and edgy exterior, O'Connell brings a swagger which is unparalleled as almost every scene belongs to him and the film works because of him.

I am a bit afraid after his American debut, O'Connell will somehow loose his edge, but he comes across as smarted than the Hollywood unconsciousness. He has a lot to give us and this is only the beginning, handle with care (300: Rise of an Empire, yeah he's in that). Although thrillers tend not to be my cup of tea, I like developed characters and layers of plot—'71 takes place in the span of 24 hours—it is still an exceptional piece mainly due to O'Connell's masterful performance, Demange's restrained direction and Tat Radcliffe's stylized cinematography.

'71 is still making the festival rounds and does not yet have a U.S. release date, but will be released in the U.K. on October 10th.

@MeMontgom filmnoises.com