L'ombra della violenza

Cosmo Jarvis take a bow. Playing lead character Douglas (The Arm) he hits every note. His portrayal of a former boxer struggling to break free from the brutality of his past and present life is both captivating and heart wrenching. Set in rural Ireland, Douglas is used by local crime family the Devers as their enforcer, and while the punishment he dishes out to those unfortunate enough to have crossed them is savage, he is the real victim. Jarvis captures superbly the tortured soul of the main protagonist with a brooding and sensitive performance that deserves huge praise. Superb supporting roles from the brilliant Niamh Algar as his former wife trying to make a life for their autistic son and Barry Keoghan as his manipulative wannabe drug king pin. Throw in Ned Dennehy's performance as Paudie, a wretched local crime lord descending into madness, and the ensemble in complete. Cinematography is bleak and beautiful and the music is so in tune with the narrative that you forget it's there.

A great piece of gritty Irish cinema and my only gripe is that I feel there was room for another 20 minutes or so.