God's Creatures

God's Creatures has an atmospheric setting and a great cast. But one huge flaw in the script fatally holes this ship below the waterline. Brian returns from an extended sojourn to Australia and his mother Aileen is overjoyed. In fact, she is so happy that she fails to consider why her prodigal son was considered prodigal in the first place. In the scene where Brian appears, it is pointed out that he made no contact while in Australia, and no one even knew what city or town he was in. Now, that is fine for that scene, but the question of what Brian did during his time in Australia is never re-visited. He meets old schoolmates, a bartender who is enamoured with him, but absolutely no one broaches the topic of Australia. This bizarre omission undermines all the work done to create an authentic sense of place and people. And it would be an easy fix, by, for example, having Brian tell contradictory versions to two people. Whether it was not discussed in script development, or written but not shot, or shot but left out of the final cut, I do not know. But that egregious misfire in the creative process ruins what could have been an immersive, enjoyable cinema outing.

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.

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source: God's Creatures

The viscerality of life is an inhabitant of the small corners of the world. In a meeting between the sea, the fog and the scarcity of a small town, Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer set the mood of the story. The mystery captivates and at the same time disturbs, raising several questions about the dynamics between Watson's character and her son, played by Paul Mescal. As in the trailer, the sea swallows the plot in a failed attempt to take the audience deeper into the pains and other feelings displayed in the story. In the end, we have a (almost) silent film starring Emily Watson's visceral gaze, but which, as the narrative unfolds, doesn't leave superficiality.

As a fan of Emily Watson I tried really hard to like this film, but it just never captured my imagination from the start. It felt like just another gritty, warts n all poverty ridden, despairing film of people living life on the brink of despair. The awful screeching violin music didn't help, neither did the difficult to watch relationship between Aileen and Brian. Perhaps most of all was the fact that as there story did no engage me, I found I was missing plot points. Who was she? Where does she fit in? What was that scene all about I didn't understand it. What has what they've just said got to do with the film? It got to the point where I didn't really know what the film was about. Yes I could have watched until the end and it may have become obvious, but what's the point of a story that you only understand at the very end? On the plus side Paul Mescal seems to be developing nicely as an actor, and Emily Watson still knows how to act although her direction in this film was lacking I think. It's definitely not a film I will put away and keep for a rainy day.

In dark, slow-burn Irish drama "God's Creatures" Paul Mescal returns from years in Australia to his fishing village home & family inc overjoyed ma Emily Watson (always solid), stoic da Declan Conlon & feisty sis Toni O'Rourke. But when Mescal's one-time gf Aisling Franciosi (good) accuses him of rape, and Watson lies to provide an alibi to get him off, a shadow falls over them all. Written (by Shane Crowley) & directed (by Saela Davis & Anna Rose Holmer) in deliberately & appropriately moody style it's evocative work, portraying a community & values seemingly of a different time & place to our own. While no adrenaline pumper, it's fine drama for those in the mood.