Hunger (2008)

Irish republican Bobby Sands leads the inmates of a Northern Irish prison in a hunger strike.

Director:

Steve McQueen

Writers:

Enda Walsh, Steve McQueen

Stars:

Stuart Graham, Laine Megaw, Brian Milligan

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 36 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stuart Graham	...	Raymond Lohan
Laine Megaw	...	Raymond's Wife
Brian Milligan	...	Davey Gillen
Liam McMahon	...	Gerry Campbell
Karen Hassan	...	Gerry's Girlfriend
Michael Fassbender	...	Bobby Sands
Frank McCusker	...	The Governor
Lalor Roddy	...	William
Helen Madden	...	Mrs. Sands
Des McAleer	...	Mr. Sands
Geoff Gatt	...	Bearded Man
Rory Mullen	...	Priest
Ben Peel	...	Riot Prison Offficer Stephen Graves
Helena Bereen	...	Raymond's Mother
Paddy Jenkins	...	Hitman

Storyline

Hunger follows life in the Maze Prison, Northern Ireland with an interpretation of the highly emotive events surrounding the 1981 IRA Hunger Strike, led by Bobby Sands. With an epic eye for detail, the film provides a timely exploration of what happens when body and mind are pushed to the uttermost limit.

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Plot Keywords:

hunger | prison | irish | hunger strike | ireland | 

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Taglines:

An odyssey, in which the smallest gestures become epic and when the body is the last resource for protest.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

MK2 [fr] Official site [hu]

Country:

UK Ireland

Language:

English Irish

Release Date:

31 October 2008 (UK)

Also Known As:

Glad

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$1,980 (USA) (5 December 2008)

Gross:

$154,084 (USA) (5 June 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film4, Channel Four Film, Northern Ireland Screen

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The second medical attendant (one with mustache) who takes care of Bobby Sands in the hospital, has a ''UDA'' tattoo on his left hand. UDA is shortening for Ulster Defence Association, a loyalist paramilitary organization in Northern Ireland.

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Goofs

Raymond Lohan's car - a Ford Granada - is a Mk2 Facelift, which wasn't released until winter 1981 and probably wouldn't be seen on Irish roads until '82.

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Quotes

Father Dominic Moran: So what happened to your eye, Bobby?
Bobby Sands: What?
Father Dominic Moran: Did you get a dig for yourself? Your eye.
Bobby Sands: Difference of opinion.
Father Dominic Moran: Mmm. How's the other fella?
Bobby Sands: Oh, a lot worse. Believe me.

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Connections

Referenced in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #2.20 (2011)

User Reviews

A piece of art, but not great storytelling.

This film certainly succeeds on an artistic level. The performances are incredibly brave, and the cinematography is astonishing- the film actually looks like it was made in the early '80s. The pace and editing are also perfect for the claustrophobic, monotonous setting of prison. However, the film fails on another, more important level, i.e. storytelling. Firstly, the events are given no proper political context, bar some vague caption referencing "the troubles", and a few Thatcher sound-bites. But even more fundamentally than that, we are not properly introduced to the main character of Bobby Sands until almost halfway through, at which point the film switches allegiance to his story alone, meaning those whose stories we have followed up until this point are simply abandoned, never to be heard of again. A curious, even nonsensical decision. I don't know if this film was made to entertain or educate, but it did neither for me.