Introducing the powerfully intense debut from film director, Christopher Andrews. His enthralling rural Irish drama, “Bring Them Down”, masterfully teeters between dark humor and a sense of prevailing gloom. The narrative intricately weaves the somber tales of fathers, sons, and the fraught fate of innocent sheep. Employing a narrative style reminiscent of “Rashomon”, the drama subtly teases out deep-seated issues of masculinity and continuous cycles of sadness. The emotionally straitened male characters don’t directly confront these underlying issues, rather they let them gradually build into a potent blood feud. This conflict, though intense, reveals a pitiful side upon reflection.
The drama kicks off with a brief yet harrowing prologue highlighting a devastating car accident. The incident occurs when Michael, played by Christopher Abbott, discovers his mother’s intention to leave his father. Driven by uncontrollable emotions, he ends up swerving the vehicle off the road. The crash results in the tragic death of his mother and leaves a deep scar on the left side of Caroline’s face, Michael’s girlfriend at the time. Portrayed by Nora-Jane Noone, Caroline becomes the embodiment of the damage women suffer from men’s uncontrolled fury.
Fast forward to several years later, we find Michael providing daily care for his demanding, paraplegic father Ray, played by Colm Meaney, and managing his ram farm. Caroline, who now happens to be Michael’s neighbor’s wife, has a teenage son named Jack, played by Barry Keoghan. The two families are already reeling from past traumas, which only seem to worsen when two of Michael’s sheep end up dead on Gary’s property. Tensions rise, suspicions mount, and things take a turn for the worse as more of Michael’s livestock are brutally maimed, leading him to evident their suffering slowly but surely.
Through the lens of Michael’s silent yet tumultuous journey, “Bring Them Down” instills an unsettling atmosphere surrounding Gary and Jack. Andrews brilliantly plays with character dynamics as Michael finds himself constantly reminded of his past through Caroline’s kind demeanor towards him and her scarred face.
The story gradually but intentionally unravels who is behind the turmoil and their underlying motives. The narrative sees Michael navigating through obscured nocturnal landscapes to either round up his flock or seek retribution against what appears to be a sociopathic father-son team. Yet, as the film peels back new layers of characterization, Michael appears equally deranged, plummeting all involved men into a poignant tale where bloodshed becomes an almost definite destination.
Interestingly, none of the characters express any religious or superstitious beliefs, but the plight of Michael’s sheep and his presumed feeling of deserving such punishment plagues “Bring Them Down” with a cursed aura. Tesoterically circling around Michael’s guilt and the fatalistic implications of the existing familial pressures.
Andrews employs the power of implication cleverly, making audiences question unconfronted truths. The seeds of conflict are sown by suspicions around familial ties, ultimately leading Jack and Michael to bear the brunt of each other’s selfishness and familial circumstance.
When the inevitable clash occurs, “Bring Them Down” dials back on its heightened visuals and instead strips the looming conflict of all glamour. The film’s crux lies in its raw depiction of violence, discrediting the antagonists’ vicious actions and leaving them appearing petty by the end. The characters seem reduced to bickering children pushed into their roles by the pressures of their lineage, their fathers, and their economic circumstances. The result is a tragicomedy that’s both darkly amusing and saddeningly humorous.
Credit: variety.com
