If you’re in the mood for another great movie that will leave you depressed, I have good news. Small Things Like These is a film with superb acting and a perfectly dour atmosphere to get the job done.
Based on the novel of the same name, this is a story centered in a small Irish town in 1985, where a man named Bill Furlong works moving coal. The town is one of many in Ireland where the Catholic Church operated Magdelene Laundries, which were basically work camps that took in “fallen” young women. Usually, the women were orphans or single mothers with nowhere else to go.
The abuse the women suffered there was an open and ignored secret among the townspeople, as the church convinced everyone that the women were unworthy of anything better. It’s an examination of another ugly side of the church and a very interesting matter for a film that even when the abuse is exposed, there’s little sympathy for the victims.
The film’s color palette and composition give it a gloomy feel. Despite it being Christmas time, the town exudes a cold, oppressive aura. Bill feels the full brunt of it on top of the exhaustive labor of his job. It’s all well done, and the film also does a great job of juxtaposing that with Bill’s home where his wife and five daughters bring some joy back into his life.
Cillian Murphy’s performance as Bill is great. Similar to Oppenheimer, it relies on Murphy’s facial expressions to show the inner turmoil his character experiences. Early hints suggest that Bill’s reaction to seeing the truth behind the Magdelene Laundries is also fueled by past traumas. One of the downsides of the movie is its use of flashback scenes to uncover what’s haunting Bill’s past.
When that’s coupled with his internal struggles based on wanting to do right by his daughters, the result is a powder keg of inner turmoil. Murphy does a great job of showing that inner despair eroding his soul and it’s done in a way that feels very real.
Given that the main plot is already slow paced, showing these flashback scenes without all their context seems unnecessary. It probably worked better in the novel or maybe it’s a new idea, but it was too much meandering in a movie that didn’t need it.
Another highlight is Emily Watson as Sister Mary, the woman in charge of the convent. Watson’s performance gives Mary a big factor of intimidation. It comes from more than her authority; it’s her sheer conviction that makes her scary. She’s a villain with the backing of the church on her side who believes everything happening to the “fallen” women is justified.
It’s a thoughtful examination of how hard doing the right thing can be in a realistic scenario where someone has to risk their position in their community and even their family. It’s also a depressing look into a painful and dark part of Ireland’s recent history and one that unfortunately mirrors many stories across the world of how society treats their versions of “fallen” women.
It’s a slow, slow burn, but a very engrossing one. Great performances and atmosphere make Small Things Like These an absolutely compelling watch (and probably the worst “Christmas movie” you can see to get you in the holiday spirit).
