Say Nothing

This series asks the difficult question, if the State discriminates against you, and you use non violence to seek justice. But are met with violence, is the use of counter violence justified. The fact that the story allows us to see the view point of all players adds to the depth of this issue. Traces the evolution of the recent conflict in Northern Ireland through the the lives of two sisters. Fast moving and beautifully filmed and directed. Powerful acting by both male and female leads, especially the two sisters. High degree of realism. You feel you are there witnessing events, rather than just watching. This series is a must see for anyone with an interest in the 30 year conflict in Northern Ireland.

As Episode 1 of "Say Nothing" (2024 release from the UK; 9 episodes ranging from 41 to 50 min each) opens, it is "Belfast 1972" and we are reminded that this is "Based on a True Story". A woman is being taken away from her house, leaving her kids behind. We don't know why or who took her. We then go to "Dublin, Ireland, 29 Years Later" and we meet. Dolours Price. She is about to be interviewed as part of an oral history of the Troubles. At this point we are 10 minutes into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: there have been many movies and TV series and documentaries about the Troubles before, but I don't recall ever having seen anything like "Say Nothing", which brings the 3 decades that were the Troubles with a fresh look. The series follows several events and jumps back and forth in time, but somehow it brings the main themes of the Troubles with a clearer perspective than ever. While the differences and the fighting fighting between the Protestants/British Army versus the Catholics/Irish-minded gets of course plenty of attention, less obvious issues such as the Disappeared by the IRA are also included. There are plenty of solid acting performances, none more so than Lola Petticrew as Dolours. Beware: this mini-series is not for the faint of heart. At the end of it all, I felt like I had received an emotional gut punch. This mini-series is riveting from start to finish, even if some moments are uncomfortable. (As an aside, within minutes of watching Episode 1, I realized that I needed English subtitles, as I was missing about half of what I was hearing (Northern Ireland accents and all...)

"Say Nothing" started streaming on Hulu a week ago. I read a positive review of it in the New York Times, and then I found out that it is currently rated 91% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and for good reason. I watched this in night nights of 3 episodes each and I was simply transfixed. If you are in the mood for a top notch drama or simply curious to learn more about the Troubles, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

The casting is absolutely spot on. The main players, Gerry Adam's, Brendan Hughes and Dolours Price were cast absolutely perfectly. You'd swear you were actually there reliving History. It's gritty, it's exciting and they have Belfast of the 1970's to a tee.. You'd honestly think you were watching a documentary is that well shot.. I'm only a few episodes in but so far it's edge of your seat stuff..

So far they have done a good job of showing two sides of the story and they didn't shy away from showing how the troubles started. The Protestant/Loyalist Population with the help of the Police beating and burning the Catholics out of their homes..

Based on Patrick Radden Keefe's meticulously researched book "Say Nothing," transports viewers into the heart of the Northern Ireland conflict, known as "The Troubles," through a profoundly unique lens.

The film, like the book, goes beyond simply recounting facts. Narrated by the protagonists themselves, it strives to elucidate the motivations and consequences of their actions, adopting a powerful "female gaze" by prioritizing the experiences of the women who participated in and endured the violence.

This offers a unique and invaluable perspective on the Northern Ireland conflict, enhanced by the stunning performances of an exceptional all-female cast.

I'll start by saying that the production of this series is excellent, the acting is great, and the overall story is gripping. As someone from Northern Ireland it's always great to see anything from here portrayed in T. V or film, but there is usually a sense that it's a "B rate" production at best. I am thrilled to say that is not the case with 'Say Nothing', this series was so we'll done that I imagine it will be viewed and praised by people the world over. Things like this are usually only interesting to people from the island, people that were directly involved, or history buffs. But I think this will appeal to a broader audience as it is portrayed as a drama series with characters at it's heart.

I can't tell you how many times I have been watching something and have heard the Nortern Ireland accent butchered to the point where I cringe. I have always thought to myself 'if only we had some top actors (that aren't Liam Neeson) who could star in these roles'. We'll im not sure where they've been hiding, but they finally found them! The acting was excellent throughout the entire show, and it's great to see some home grown talent getting some much needed and deserved recognition. I was unfamiliar with most of the cast in this show, but if at least one or two don't go on to be house hold names in the UK I will be surprised (particularly the actors who played the Price sisters).

I haven't read the book, though I would imagine it's more historical and focused on the facts of what happened during the troubles. The show definitely keeps this in mind the historical and cultural impact throughout, although it is mostly character driven. It does a great job of developing the characters and portraying all sides of characters involved and showing a multitude of emotions for people we'd probably rather see as one dimensional in real life.

My only reservation with this show is that I felt the narrative of the troubles was slightly one sided. The focus is of course on the IRA/ republican movement, as such, it's no real surprise that they are viewed as the protagonist. However, there are two sides to the story with the Belfast conflict and it feels as thought the protestant/ unionist side was left out completely.

That being said, I think they done a good job of showing how nasty things got and how the lines got blurred between what is right and wrong, even in war times and even when you are convinced that the only right opinion is yours.

I expect this will be a hard watch for many people, especially those directly effected and those who may still be grieving the loss of loved ones. My hope is that people can enjoy it for what it is, an excellent piece of television on a topic that most of the world may have forgotten or never even heard of, and I hope prejudice doesn't get in the way of enjoying a good show.