Bring Them Down – Film Review
by Fran Winston

Directed by: Christopher Andrews
Starring: Christopher Abbott, Barry Keoghan, Nora-Jane Noone, Colm Meaney

In cinemas on February 7

The posters for this almost make it appear like a shady gangland thriller, but it is actually about a rivalry between two shepherding families that turns bloody. The title is a reference to a decision to bring livestock down from the grazing hillside to the fields, however, it also takes on a new meaning as the feud between the two clans escalates.

Abbott plays sheep farmer Michael who lives with his curmudgeonly father Ray (Meaney). Thanks to an opening sequence we know that Ray was abusive to Michael’s mother, but older Ray is pretty much housebound and reliant on his son to carry out the orders he barks at him.

Michael’s ex-girlfriend Caroline (Nora-Jane Noone) lives on the neighbouring farm with her husband Gary and son Jack (Keoghan). Before I continue I would like to point out the casting discrepancy in that Noone is in fact only eight years older than Keoghan. And it really shows! Do better casting directors.

That aside there is no love lost between the families with her husband thinking she still has feelings for Michael. Gary also needs Michael and Ray to sell him a piece of land to complete a holiday home project which he has borrowed heavily for, so tensions are running high.

In an attempt to help his family, Jack rustles two of Michael’s sheep, telling him they were found dead. When Michael finds out the truth and attempts to retrieve his livestock it sets in motion a bloody chain of events. Indeed, it all turns a bit Deliverance.

Andrews rewinds halfway through the film so we get to see both sides of the story. However, given that much of the “action” happens at a rather slow pace this proves a bit tedious. A straightforward narrative could have proved more effective here.

Everyone gives an intense performance. That is the only tone here. There are no shades of light and even dark humour is sorely lacking.

Director Christopher Andrews seems so focused on highlighting the issue of toxic masculinity and its repercussions that he neglects to give us anything outside of that. All the characters are deeply flawed and victims of their own petty prejudices, poor choices and greed so there is no one to root for. The result is an often tedious and unsubtle movie that meanders wildly but never reaches any sort of satisfying conclusion.