Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Ian Hart | ... | Joe O'Reilly | |
Julia Roberts | ... | Kitty Kiernan | |
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Richard Ingram | ... | British Officer |
Liam Neeson | ... | Michael Collins | |
Aidan Quinn | ... | Harry Boland | |
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John Kenny | ... | Patrick Pearse |
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Ronan McCairbre | ... | Thomas MacDonagh |
Jer O'Leary | ... | Thomas Clarke (as Ger O'Leary) | |
Mike Dwyer | ... | James Connolly (as Michael Dwyer) | |
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Martin Murphy | ... | Captain Lee-Wilson |
Alan Rickman | ... | Eamon de Valera | |
Sean McGinley | ... | Smith | |
Gary Whelan | ... | Hoey | |
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Frank O'Sullivan | ... | Kavanagh |
Stephen Rea | ... | Ned Broy |
After the disastrous defeat of Irish rebels by superior UK forces during the Easter Rising, Michael Collins develops new strategies for the independence of Ireland. His tactics include what is now recognized as urban guerrilla tactics and organized assassinations of those Irish who work as informers for the UK government, and later members of British intelligence. Although Collins is conflicted about the necessity of this violent course, by 1921 the British are willing to negotiate. Sinn Fein President Eamon de Valera sends a reluctant Collins to London to negotiate a settlement. When Collins returns with a compromise of a partitioned Ireland and an Irish Free State, not a Republic, within the British Empire he is vilified by de Valera and repudiated by lifelong friend Harry Boland after Boland learns that his girlfriend Kitty Kiernan is in love with Collins. Collins is now faced with civil war as he struggles against those who insist on complete and unconditional independence for all... Written by duke1029@aol.com
This movie is an excellent portrayal of the brutal and often non-conventional Irish freedom struggle. The movie has several great strengths. The biggest strength is Liam Neeson in his tour-de-force. His acting in this movie is as good as it gets. His personality changes subtly throughout the movie, becoming increasingly affected by the changes of the world around him. The supporting cast is also excellent, with Rickman in one of his best roles.
Cinematography is very nice, capturing everything from the hopelessness of the defeats in the ashy cities to the beauty of the Irish landscapes. The pacing is very good as well.
If you saw this movie with no opinion on the Irish history, you will have one when you leave the theater. This shows to me how powerful this movie is. After all, Michael Collin's tactics were not pretty, everything from car-bombings to mob-style executions. Yet we still care for him, we want him to succeed, even if he himself isn't sure he wants to.
Without it's politics, this movie is still excellent. It's a great piece of movie-making, it's involving, sad, funny and sometimes tense. One of the movies I consider classic.