That They May Face the Rising Sun

A moving picture!

I pretty much went into the cinema with 'That They May Face the Rising Sun' totally blind in terms of what to expect, just the way I like it mind you. All I knew was that it was outta Ireland and based on a book, which I evidently hadn't heard of. I'm pleased to say what greeted my eyes was a very splended movie.

The story is simple, one that holds no bells and whistles. I don't mean that in a negative way whatsoever, as it is the film's greatest element. It's all very grounded, which allows the acting talent to shine. Though, the cinematography is exquisite. It is also paced to perfection, in that regard I was kinda caught off guard when the credits appeared!

Barry Ward and Anna Bederke are the cover stars and are worthy in their roles of Joe and Kate, I enjoyed them both. However, those behind them are the standouts for me. Lalor Roddy is fantastic as Patrick, so much emotion (and humour!) delivered from him throughout. Brendan Conroy does a lot with relatively little, similarly (first time actor, so I read?!) Phillip Dolan and Sean McGinley (esp. At the end).

It's all extremely touching. Safe to say, I'd highly recommend this!

There's something very potent about the Celtic habit of understating things. A few choice words, a bit of sarcasm or invocation of nature or, occasionally, religion coupled with some perfectly judged facial expressions or shrugs! It can be used to really good comic effect and to illustrate entertainingly just how folks live their lives and deal with death. "Joe" (Barry Ward) and wife "Kate" (Anna Bederke) live in their rural home where he is trying to put together his latest book and she juggles her time between running a gallery in London and living the dream amidst a remarkably dry Ireland. The film essentially plonks us in their home for a few days as we watch a variety of local souls pop in for tea, whiskey and chat. What's quite striking about this community is the lack of the young. Everyone here is nearer the end than the beginning, and with the vacillating character of "Patrick" (Lalor Roddy), the returning from Britain "Johnny" (Sean McKinley), his brother "Jamesie" (Phillip Dolan) and the curmudgeon that is "Bill" (Brendan Conroy) making up the characterful sextuplet of regulars we are presented with a glimpse at a perfectly plausible day in the life sort of thing... The "Patrick" character is probably the most interesting, flawed and decent, angry yet caring; but the others all fit into this sympathetically filmed jigsaw puzzle of what goes around comes around nicely. Don't expect lots to actually happen, but do expect to smile quite a bit and think a little, too.

Joe, (Barry Ward), and Kate, (Anna Bederke), have returned from London to rural Ireland. He writes, perhaps a novel, perhaps not, while she sketches and makes little decorative pieces from twigs and bits of wood. The rest of the time they simply try to manage the small farm holding on which they live, mostly with the help of kindly neighbors. The seasons pass and nothing out of the ordinary happens; one neighbor marries and another dies and we simply observe the small details that make up these people's lives.

Based on John McGahern's novel, Pat Collins' really quite extraordinary and quite extraordinarily moving film "That They May Face the Rising Sun" could best be described as Ireland's answer to the films of Ermanno Olmi or maybe the Taviani Brothers. Gorgeously shot on location in County Galway this is one of the greatest of films about rural life and the day-to-day existence of people who have nothing and yet who want for nothing.

Director Collins is fundamentally a documentary film-maker and he brings a documentarian's eye to bear on proceedings here drawing extraordinarily naturalistic performances from his cast. Veteran Irish actors like Sean McGinley, Lalor Roddy, Ruth McCabe and Brendan Conroy are doing perhaps their best work here and it's hard to believe that Phillip Dolan as one kindly neighbor has never acted in a film before. Leads Barry Ward and Anna Bederke are also superb in their quietude and their empathy, outsiders who nevertheless feel like the backbone of their community, magnets drawing others to them for help or just for a listening ear. A masterpiece that simply has to be seen.

Having grown up in rural donegal, it was a great movie as it brought up so many memories. It felt very true to the time and place. They obviously put a lot of time and thought into certain scenes and how people would have interacting at the time. Its a slow movie but it hits a punch. It goes without saying that the long shots of the scenery are beautiful and it is done in a way that it ties into the story. I hope that people that are not familiar with the place don't think that the more eccentric characters are overplayed or exaggerated as these are characters that are very familiar to those that grow up in rural Ireland.

The pace is slow and many scenes come back to the same road but it is a seamless wonder portraying both genuine difficulties in life and a serenity of the seasons and lifestyle that melts together. I enjoyed the array of characters, each with a story and edge. It was somber but not depressing and the use of closeups and distant landscapes worked to keep a slow pace moving. The only negatives was the sound...maybe in the cinema it wasn't adjusted to the right volume but also the piano wasn't always appropriate. Also maybe the couple were just too perfect but that had an inspiring positive side too. It is a very good film and a quality few films reach.