Irish long time couple Stella (Lesley Manville) and Gerry (Ciarán Hinds) have papered over their differences over the years. A year into their marriage, a pregnant Stella nearly died and/or lost their child in an IRA ambush. She treats their survival as a miracle from God and her religious beliefs have deepened over time. Gerry, his career ruined by The Troubles, rejects that and has found solace in a whiskey bottle. When they take a trip to Amsterdam, their differences, so long bottled up, come to the surface.
This is first and foremost an acting masterclass. There is an early scene where Stella comes back from midnight mass. Finding Gerry asleep, she has a snack. The pain and despair on Manville’s face when she eats tells you much more about her life than any amount of exposition. Both of them are allowed to shine because of a beautifully subtle script by Bernard MacLaverty and Nick Payne, based on MacLaverty’s novel. There are no huge rows or grandiose speeches, just a cumulation of little moments that show the divide between them.
Polly Findlay’s direction is unobtrusive, as she wisely allows her two stars to shine in this low key but perceptive and affecting drama.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10