‘Bring Them Down’ Review – An Intense, Small Story Worth Telling

Not every story on screen needs to be writ large. The daily lives of relatively normal people are filled with drama worth being seen. There is a reason why even action films and superhero movies tell the tales of hidden identities, romance, and comparatively small problems. In the world of a normal person, small problems are large problems. Just because the container is small doesn’t mean that the issues that fill it are unworthy of examination. For instance, in the grand scheme of things, the theft and possible killing of a few sheep doesn’t make an impact. But in the world of Bring Them Down, this could literally mean life or death.

The film focuses (at first) on Michael (Christopher Abbott) the de facto head of an Irish shepherding family, as his father, Ray (Colm Meaney) is injured and can no longer do this work. In a film filled with quiet moments, there is a necessity for a quiet, soulful actor in the role of Michael. Luckily, this is Abbott’s sweet spot; he has a face you immediately trust and eyes that communicate his pain with minimal wasted effort or dialogue. This is indicative of the film, as well. Screenwriters Chris Andrews (who also directed) and Jonathan Hourigan choose instead to focus on mood and the impact of both our families’ shared trauma and looking back on poor decisions that we live our lives paying for. 

Andrews does a tremendous job of controlling the audience’s emotions surrounding both Michael and Ray’s relationship along with the rivalry forming between them and another father and son; Gary (Paul Ready) and Jack (Barry Keoghan). This decision, and the nonlinear narrative, allows Keoghan to play into his best qualities, that of a quiet threat. He, of course, became known to many audiences because of performances like those featured in The Killing of a Sacred Deer. The way that Keoghan moves his body and contorts his face in confrontations with Abbott is worthy of study, as is Abbott’s stoic embrace of every tick and contortion.

But, at its core, this is not a movie about physical violence, even when it occurs. The emotional violence behind closed doors within families is what really makes this film have an impact. Ray and Michael’s heated conversations, sometimes rising to a yell, especially in Gaelic feel like weapons hurled at each other, rather than words. Other characters, viewing domestic disturbances in their own home, force us to realize that our perspective is not the only one. Why do we lash out? Why do we do terrible things? Bring Them Down posits that there are no true villains. We may not agree that the ends justify the means, but there is a means worth talking about here. We do what we can for our family. For those represented here, there may be no other way of helping than by lashing out. 

It would be easy, for those of us in privileged situations, to say that we would never act this way. Or that there are more productive ways to solve problems. But to say this is to ignore the context in which Michael and Jack are raised. If we are not shown other ways, other opportunities to be better people, who is really to be blamed? No, we cannot simply excuse bad behavior. But to disregard continued traumatic issues within families is to turn our back on humanity. 

Bring Them Down shows us that, even in our worst, most rageful moments, there is an opportunity for vulnerability. There is a chance to lay down our swords for the betterment of not just ourselves, but everyone around us as well. If we wait for someone else to be the better person, sure destruction awaits. We never have to expect of others, nor should we. But we have to take our own moment to stop the cyclical nature of our traumas that can explode and ripple our pain to everyone around us.

Bring Them Down is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of MUBI.