Watching ’71, it’s easy to see why Jack
O’Connell caused so much heat in 2014. Seeing what he’s able to do here, in
Yann Demange’s story of a young soldier abandoned in the violent streets of
Belfast in 1971, it makes Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken, where
he also plays the lead, even more of a disappointment. As incredible as
O’Connell is, however, ’71 is much more than just a stage
for the on-the-rise actor, and the film is a gripping,
so-tense-you-can-hardly-bear-it story of survival and the horrors of war. It
also marks Demange, who makes his feature directorial debut after working
extensively in television, as a talent to watch right along side his star.
Gary Hook (O’Connell) is a young soldier, who, after his
unit finishes their basic training, is sent to the streets of Belfast during
the “Troubles,” where Catholics and Protestants, neighbors, were killing each
other wholesale in the streets. Under the command of a green lieutenant, the
soldiers get in over their heads as they aid in a routine home search, and Gary
and his best friend are accidentally left behind in the chaos. When the other
soldier is coldly executed in front of him, Gary is hunted through the streets
as he tries to find his way back to the barracks.
What follows is part war picture, part heroic quest as Gary
evades potential killers, tries to figure out who to trust, and navigates the
hazy, unfamiliar, almost dreamlike streets of nighttime Belfast. Gary is lost,
disoriented by moments of stunning violence, drifting through this conflict he
neither understands nor has any real stake in. He’s not some hero, bravely
battling for a cause, he’s a scared kid trapped in a fucked up situation he
can’t escape, and it only gets worse the deeper he goes.
The action is both realistic and heavily metaphorical, both
about this specific moment in history and so much more: war, idealism,
corruption, among others. As transformative and world-altering as this night
is, with lives crushed and lost and changed forever, you walk away with the
feeling that this is just a night, that this could be any
night in Belfast, and that tomorrow, the exact same thing could happen. It may
not be Gary, but it’s bound to be someone.
’71 features a number of subplots. It
explores the schisms in the IRA, a group of undercover operatives with sweet
‘70s mop tops and mustaches sowing the seeds of discontent between rival
groups, and Gary’s fellow soldiers searching for their comrade. Much of the
conflict in these digressions comes down to generation gaps, regardless of the
specific group. The older, more experience factions clash with the
inexperienced, impatient, impetuous youth.
As some of these threads unravel in the middle, as the
various sides collude and conflict with one another, ’71
loses a bit of focus. Most of these asides are handled well and ultimately
woven together, though a few, especially one about a good, smart kid who
essentially falls in with the wrong crowd and heads down a dark path, are
forced and more tangential. You understand the impulse, it gives another angle
to the ever-escalating battle, but it is never fully developed.
This is a relatively minor complaint, however, and the only
real misstep is that scenes where Gary visits his young brother bookend the
movie. You see what Demange and the script from Gregory Burke are trying to do—they’re
orphans and the brother is in the same facility where Gary grew up, it shows
where he came from, and, ostensibly, what he’s fighting to stay alive for. This
also connects thematically with a period where a brash young kid guides Gary to
safety through the hazards of Belfast, but the brother is a largely unnecessary
emotional shortcut as the film makes its points eloquently in other ways.
Frankly, until the tacked on, extra few minutes of the epilogue, by the end you
forgot about the brother completely. Still, aside from extending the run time a
few minutes, is a miniscule hiccup in an otherwise excellent film.
Tackling a conflict like this, giving it a human face, and
painting the subtle complexity with such a deft touch, is an accomplishment for
anyone, let alone a first time director (at least the first time he’s worked in
this format). Demange carries this off, aided by a fearless performance from
O’Connell, and the result is moving, tense, and powerful, as well as both
personal and universal. ’71 immerses you in a brutal world
where just talking to the wrong person or being seen in the wrong place can get
you killed, placing you in the heart of the action with
verite style camera work, and never pulls punches as it
explores the deeper truths in play in this very human story.
[Grade: A-]
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