God's Creatures

This is one of those stories that is simple, but executed brilliantly. A crisis of identity and of faith as the patriarchy dominates an allegation of sexual assault in a small fishing village. Examining the individual responses of the villagers, creating in-group out-groups that soon meet a flashpoint, yet trundle toward people wanting to normalize and go back to normal. And willfully forget the damage done and ongoing.

I think it's sad/hilarious that so many reviews call it shallow simply because they're triggered the dude is being maligned. It's a story. And it's not his story, nor does it need to be because it's not operating at the concrete level, for the most part.

Emily Watson kills it in this, as does the up-and-comer from the Normal People adaptation. Smart script, not too long, great shots, fantastic soundtrack. Starting my 2023 watch season out right. Excellent stuff.

"Brian" (Paul Mescal) has recently returned to his family home on the west coast of Ireland to a warm welcome from his mother "Aileen" (Emily Watson) and a largely indifferent one from his father "Con" (Declan O'Hara). For reasons we are not told, he has returned from Australia and is soon determined to pick up his ailing grandfather's oyster farming business. Despite knowing very little about this, he knuckles down and with the help of some "borrowed" half-grown's from the seafood factory where his mother works, seems intent on making a go of things. All is set fair until one evening, "Aileen" has to pay a visit to the police station where she learns of an accusation, a very serious accusation, being levelled against the apple of her eye. She reacts defensively, and firmly, as any mother probably would - but as the remainder of the story develops, we see her begin to reconsider her position. Might he actually have done what he was accused of? The story itself is all rather weak here, sorry. Some beautiful location photography and loads of lingering shots of folks having cigarettes doesn't really ignite this. The narrative is put together in a rather bitty, unconvincing, fashion and though Watson is on great form as the increasingly conflicted lady, Mescal offers very little beyond his hail-fellow-well-met character and the underlying gist of the story is seriously undercooked. It does offer us a glimpse of the difficulties faced by those making a living in this harsh and unforgiving environment and perhaps I will think twice before I eat an Irish oyster again, but I think too much emphasis has been placed on who is in this film rather than developing a story that has depth and detail and holds the attention of the audience. It is worth a watch, and it's co-produced by BBC Film so the telly at Christmas is sure to be a place to find it.

What would you do, if you had to be untrue, to yourself and all you know, to retain the status quo, stop the waves from crashing down, keep from letting those close drown, hold the tidal swell at bay, what would be, the price you'd pay?

It's a very slow burn and if you're not in tune with the setting and the circumstance (maybe you don't like oysters) then you'll more than likely struggle to keep your head above water for more than half of it, but the performances are sound, especially Emily Watson who seldom disappoints, and it may leave you asking a few questions about what you would do in a similar scenario to the one presented, or indeed whether you accept the events played out as a possible reality at all.

The movie "God's Creatures" is an intense, heavy-duty drama about a mother's protective relationship with her son. To what extent can a mother's love for her offspring be acceptable and understood?

Emily Watson's performance as the mother Aileen O'Hara is simply brilliant, once again she lets us delve into the insecurity, regret, love, and ambiguity of a mother torn apart between being a mother and a woman. Emily Watson gives herself fully, just like she did in "Breaking the Waves".

Despite having this theme of guilt and shame, the movie has a somewhat excessive conclusion, especially because its plot is related to a form of unconditional love between mother and son.

I suppose, correct is the honest definition of this film. A film about two worlds, so differrent and, in some measure, painful familiar.

A provocative subject explored in honest terms.

And beautiful work of Emily Watson, proposing a powerful, moving portrait of Aileen, a Paul Mescal interesting for the manner to be out the images created in Normal People and Aftersun, the seductive effort of Aisling Franciosi to explore, in subtle - precise manner, the universe of Sarah - the scene of Sarah front to her door , with so powerful Rennaisence touch is just magnificent -.

In short, one of familiar stories near us. A son and his abusive gesture , blamed by laws. A mother front to the option to help him , including for status of prodigal son. Beautiful images, correct exploration of dilemma and the perfect , in this case, for this subject, slow rhytm. And the fair end.

In many senses, a question - film to the audience. Great acting, nice music and a simple way to build the subjective truth, in many cases- situations, the only significant one.

In short, fair work. Emilz Watson.