IN THE LAND OF SAINTS AND SINNERS
(director: Robert Lorenz; screenwriters: Mark Michael McNally, Terry Loane; cinematographer: Tom Stern; editor: Jeremiah O’Driscoll; music: Diego Baldenweg with Nora Baldenweg and Lionel Baldenweg; cast: Liam Neeson (Finbar Murphy), Kerry Condon (Doireann McCann), Jack Gleeson (Kevin Lynch), Sara Greene (Sinead Dougan), Desmond Eastwood (Curtis June), Niamh Cusack (Rita Quinn), Conor MacNeill (Conan McGrath), Seamus O’Hara (Seamus McKenna), Colm Meaney (Robert McQue), Ciarán Hinds (Vincent O’Shea); Runtime: 106; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Markus Barmettler, Philip Lee, Bonnie Timmerman, Kieran Corrigan, Geraldine Hughes, Terry Loane; A Samuel Goldwyn Films release/Netflix; 2023-Ireland)
“It’s Liam’s best movie in a long time.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
The American filmmaker Robert Lorenz (“Trouble With The Curve”/”The Marksman”) directs this exciting Irish hit man film in a no-nonsense way. It’s co-written by Mark Michael McNally and Terry Loane. Even if it seemed bogus to make hit man Liam Neeson into a sympathetic saintly figure, the film sort of gets away with it when it opts to have him kill some really bad dudes for free.
The story is set in 1974, on Ireland’s west coast of Donegal County. It takes place at a time when Protestant and Catholics were fighting each other in Northern Ireland. The period was referred to as the time of the Troubles.
The aging widower hit man Finbar Murphy (Liam Neeson) is a quiet man, running a second-hand book store, shyly romancing his neighbor Rita (Niamh Cusack) and drinking in the local pub with his pal (if you can believe) the police chief (Ciarán Hinds). He would like to retire, as he finds his job of contract killings has become a drag. He works for the local crime boss (Colm Meaney). One day his latest vic suggests he find a more desirable job. This prompts Finbar to follow his advice and he takes up gardening.
Meanwhile four IRA fighters are hiding in Finbar’s small town, far from the site in Belfast where their bombing went awry and innocent civilians and children not intended to be the vics were killed.
The leader of their IRA cell, the potty-mouthed Doireann (Kerry Condon), is hiding out with the killers in the quiet town.
Finbar kills the 4 terrorists and is confronted by Doireann. Their confrontation becomes the heart of the film.
Though flawed (I didn’t see any saints here as noted in the title), it’s Liam’s best movie in a long time.
It played at the Venice Film Festival.
REVIEWED ON 10/11/2024 GRADE: B
dennisschwartzreviews.com