Plot: What’s it about?
I have commented before about Liam Neeson and his films, saying how I am pretty much committed at this point. What I mean is that when I see he has a new film coming to theatres then there’s a pretty big chance I will check it out. Here we are with In the Land of Saints and Sinners, a different kind of Liam Neeson film, but also a welcome change of pace for the actor. It is a bit of a slow burner, but it is one of those films that if you give it time, let it unfold, can prove to be a very rewarding experience.
Set in Northern Ireland in 1974, there is a bombing carried out by Doireann (Kerry Condon) and her IRA soldiers. We also meet Finbar (Liam Neeson) who we learn is a widower with a passion for books, but also has a career as a hired killer. He works for Robert (Colm Meaney) and assists Kevin (Jack Gleeson), who is a lot younger than Finbar. The hope, for Finbar, at least is that he can pass along the reigns to Kevin as Finbar is ready to call it quits and enjoy the retired life he’s worked hard for. Finbar learns of a young girl Moya (Michelle Gleeson) who’s being abused by Curtis (Desmond Eastwood). He is the boyfriend of Moya’s mother, and the brother to Doireann. Finbar decides to eliminate Curtis, and he does, but when the body has yet to be discovered, Doireann decides to stay in town to find what happened to her brother. I won’t discuss the plot too much further, but the interconnections are part of what makes this film so interesting. We’re introduced to a handful of characters, and how they enter each other’s paths. It’s fascinating stuff after a while. Kerry Condon gives a powerful and intimidating performance here, making a great adversary to Finbar, who’s no hero himself.
Saints and Sinners is a film that grew on me as I watched it. I will admit that it did take me a little bit to come around to it, but once I did, I was fully invested. There were times when I wondered about the Neeson character and why exactly I should care about him. It seems to keep his development at bay for the earlier scenes. But things do develop, and they build toward a big shootout of a climax, but what I think works here is we’ve come to know all the players and their respective roles, so in many ways we care about the outcome. I find it concludes things in a truly satisfying way. Set in Ireland, the location did depress me a bit as I am a bit of a sun snob, and don’t care much for dreary weather, but it very much affects the mood of the characters here as well. The setting is something of a character in and of itself. There are, I think, the Liam Neeson fans who know what to expect from his films and the ones who maybe want him to branch out more. With this film, he certainly does. I won’t say this is one of my favorite films of his, but it does breathe some fresh air into his increasingly large filmography. For a while, he did seem to be on autopilot. So, check this one out and you just might find yourself involved and enjoying it.
The Bottom Line
A bit slow-going in the early scenes, give the film time, and it just may come around on you as it did with me. It creates rich characters and gives us a good premise that kept me involved and wanting to see how it all concluded. Rent it.
