Saints & Sinners

Les tueurs d’Inisherin. Cette production irlandaise étonnamment peu connue, qui met en vedette le dur à cuire Liam Neeson, séduit davantage que certains de ses récents films hollywoodiens produits à la chaîne. L’intrigue est peut-être très sommaire et prévisible, mais les personnages, entre lesquels jaillissent des étincelles, ne sont pas unidimensionnels. L’histoire est racontée méticuleusement du point de vue de la réalisation, avec un amour des westerns (y compris de l’harmonica), une bonne direction d’acteurs, une excellente utilisation des panoramas côtiers et une musique bien plus belle et plus profonde que ce que l’on pourrait attendre d’un « film de cow-boy avec Liam Neeson » (écoutez le générique de fin). La méchante principale jouée par Kerry Condon est une vraie garce et Ciarán Hinds et Colm Meaney sont toujours un régal dans les seconds rôles. Trois étoiles et demie. (18/06/2024)

The trajectory of the quality of Liam Neeson's films in recent years has begun to dangerously replicate something that Nicolas Cage experienced some 10 to 15 years ago. Fortunately, here Liam remembers his better days. The genius loci of the Irish coast is unique, the film has a nice and catchy score, and even though the premise with the retired killer is a very stale, the presence of the IRA gives it all an interesting edge. And thanks to the dialogue, which isn't trite, you'll soon realise that this isn't your ordinary disposable consumer product. It's a serious drama of the old-school variety, just the way I like it. I'm not at all surprised at its inclusion in the Venice Film Festival. PS: Jack Gleeson, Joffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones was excellent here! (16/03/2024)

Liam Neeson returns to his homeland as a hitman determined to shut down his special forest nursery by the heath brook. But, as you know, people plan, and the IRA changes. It has a flashy title, a western plot about evil strangers in town and a mysterious protector of its residents, Donegal’s scenery is absolutely "gorgeous," and other local seasoned veterans (Ciarán Hinds, Colm Meaney) get their moments. Still, something was missing for me to fully engage. Perhaps it needed to be a notch rawer at the expense of sentimentality and didacticism, the action finale in the pub didn’t have to be so dull, or maybe it needed Brendan Gleeson as a priest or grave-digger, I’m not sure. In any case, Kerry Condon as the Banshee of Tipperary steals the show. Her inner fire translated into her roles is fascinating. (17/01/2024)