In his debut, Christopher Andrews directs Barry Keoghan and Christopher Abbott in a thriller about two feuding families in rural Ireland. Keoghan and Abbott star in Bring Them Down as Jack and Michael, respectively, two farmers from warring families who find themselves engaged in a war whose consequences devastate the perpetrator and the victim. The film had its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in theaters in the US on February 7. To celebrate the movie beginning its theatrical run, distributor Mubi released a full-length trailer that introduces the characters and their actions before an explosive climax. The official film description reads:
“Bring Them Down is a tense and gripping thriller about two warring families set against the harsh landscape of rural west Ireland. Michael, the last son of a farming family, lives an isolated existence with his ailing, cantankerous father Ray. Burdened by a terrible secret from his past, Michael has isolated himself from the world and dedicates himself to his prized flock.
“When the ongoing conflict with rival farmer Gary and his wayward and unpredictable son Jack (Barry Keoghan) stirs old tensions and grievances, it triggers a chain of events that take increasingly violent and devastating turns, leaving both families permanently altered.”
Farmers Want War in ‘Bring Them Down’ Trailer
The trailer above begins with Michael herding his sheep in the beautiful landscapes of Ireland, but don’t let the environmental beauty fool you. It hides the sinister discontent characters have for the place and each other, as if blaming themselves for being born into the dull rural life. Jack watches Michael graze the sheep, and in the next scene, Michael reveals that some rams have gone missing. The missing animals surface later being sold by Jack’s father, and he makes it clear he’s not returning them. The village is not big enough for Michael and Jack not to see each other, and in their next encounter, Michael smashes the headlights of Jack’s car. The tensions boil over, and the two men begin hunting each other down, determined to take the other person down once and for all.
Keoghan and Abbott are joined by Nora-Jane Noone (The Magdalene Sisters, Brooklyn), Colm Meaney, Susan Lynch, Youssef Quinn, Aaron Heffernan, Paul Ready (A Gentleman in Moscow, Motherland) and Susan Lynch (Enduring Love, Waking Ned Davine) in supporting roles. Collider’s Ross Bonaime caught the film at TIFF and gave its actors a glowing review for their performances with an excellent script. He noted that despite promising a thrilling tale of revenge, the characters never quite go beyond the mundane.
Bring Them Down is now in theaters across the US. Stay tuned to Collider for further updates on when it will be available on VOD.
- Release Date
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September 8, 2024
- Director
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Christopher Andrews
- Runtime
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107 Minutes
- Writers
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Christopher Andrews
, Jonathan Hourigan
