The Wind That Shakes The Barley  (2006)

This is Ken Loach's interpretation of the struggle for independence in Ireland filtered through his now familiar socailist agenda. The gritty realism is still present but he uses frantic mobile camera work to express the skirmishes. The bang of guns are made all the more chilling by the lack of a background soundtack. Cillian Murphy gives a wonderfully mannered performance imbued with frustrated idealism. If there is a criticism to be made it is that Loach tries to encompass too much. At times the films portray of events can be too simplistic and one sided. The English never evolve beyond sterotypes but this can be percieved as a reaction to the sterotyping of the IRA and the Irish over the years as shown in films such as Austin Powers. Without a knowledge of the political and cultural climate in the 1920's Britain the viewer could become easily bewildred. However there is a rich emotional core to this film and the main protaginists are well crafted characters. It is a hard and harrowing film but that is what it was like to live in Ireland at the time. Viewers need to look past their modern day perception of the IRA as a terroist party and appreciate the idealism and genuine rationality behind their stance. Obviously the Barley are the Irish people and the Wind is the English. The wind cannot last forever, although it will blow away some of the barley, the rest will remain and the seeds they lay will lead to the regrowth of the Barley field. Very much what has happened in a now fully independent Ireland. Loach has made a thought provoking and polticially charged drama which I would recommend to everyone.

This is a wonderful film about the struggle for Irish independence. Yes it shows the well documented violence of the British army against the Irish but it also is honest about the splits within the republican molvement over the treaty. Only Loach can dramatise political debate like this. The acting is astonishing - I left the cinema weeping. As for the critics - this is not British bashing unless you identify the actions of our rulers with those of ordinary British people nor is it uncritical of republicanism.

OK. First and foremost, this is a violent film. Not in the glamorous Hollywood style, but in a visceral, gritty and low-down way. But guess what? It is a film about two Irish wars, the War of Independence and the Civil War. And war is a violent thing. Having said that, my wife couldn't sit through it and found it too hard to watch. She is sensitive to that kind of thing, but, as other reviewers have noted, the lack of a musical soundtrack allows a lot of sickening sounds to come through. I found it realistic and well-researched. Sure, the British Army, and especially the Auxilliaries and the Black and Tans, are shown to be an especially brutal lot. However, it is generally accepted, from an Irish perspective at least, that they were actually an especially brutal lot. Bear in mind that most had served in the trenches of the First World War and it is not surprising that this brutalised them. The film picks up on this nuance in an early scene. It seems to me that the Irish are also shown as cold blooded and ruthless, matching British savagery with a savagery of their own. Informers are killed without mercy. In the Civil War, old comrades turn on each other and brother turns against brother. So, is this, as some others have claimed, a recruiting film for the IRA? Not at all. The overwhelming feeling I had was one of sadness. In its reshaping of a political landscape, war destroys much and the film shows the people on the ground wrestling with whether it was worth it. For me, it showed the historical facts at a very local level. The happenings in far-off Dublin seem distant; the negotiations in London might as well have been on another continent. In its aim to show the effects of guerrilla war and civil war on a local community and in its exposition of what ordinary life was like against the chaotic backdrop of the passing of an established power through a revolutionary war, this is a revealing and thought-provoking piece of historical fiction. Finally, some others have commented on the accents and suggested subtitles. It is true, the accents are sometimes hard to penetrate. But they are accurate for that part of West Cork and Kerry, and I'd far rather that then watch another Hollywood star mangle his lines in a stage Oirish accent. Oh yeah, and the disc does have subtitles. Just turn them on if you need them.

powerfull,well acted,and very well made.Shows the tit for tat goings on in the early 1920`s in Ireland and how ruthless it was on all sides,a film everyone must see,not hollywood-ised just simple filmmaking at it`s best.

This is a movie about the Irish struggle for Independence followed by the Irish civil war but it is written and directed by an English socialist, Ken Loach. Unfortunately Loach tries to write the civil war as though the anti-treaty supporters (and effective instigators of the civil war) were a bunch of idealistic socialists against the capitalist pro-treaty (supporters). What a load of clap trap. Loach attempts to rewrite history and as such his film is dangerous and worthless. His sentimental anti-treaty supporters were actually the forerunners of the terrorist IRA of the 70s forward, and they started the brutal and meaningless civil war, and the pro-treaty supporters were those who had the democratic majority in the Irish parliament and who were pragmatic enough to accept the compromise of ceding Northern Ireland to the British in an agreement that gave peace and sovereignty to the Irish Free State (later the republic) for the first time in hundreds of years. Loach's film is complete fiction. The anti-treaty supporters were not even thinking about socialism. They had just had an unrealistic idea of what could have been agreed in the treaty with the British. Why would the British cede Northern Ireland, when the majority of the population there were British? History shows that the anti-treaty supporters were wrong and they caused the civil war and terrorist related problems into the future.

Accents hard to understand. Boring wished I turned it off!!

I was disappointed with this film. Yes, it is beautifully shot, but I think Loach tried to do too much, with the result being unsatisfactory. I lost interest after the first killing by the IRA. I believe this should have been a pivotal moment for the story - it was after all when a bunch of farm hands crossed the Rubicon and became killers. I couldn't help but compare it with the nailbiting scene in The Godfather which builds up to Michael Corleone executing his family's rival in a cafe. The Loach killing scene showed none of this tension and angst - it was hinted at (as an afterthought?) when Damian has to execute one of his own, but for me, that was too late. In fact the character of Damian is patchily explored. If Loach had concentrated more on the relationship with Teddy I think he would have ended up with an extremely powerful story. As it was, Damian and Teddy's stories haphazardly bumped along against each other from time to time before reaching their terrible conclusion. Neither character was satisfactorily explored, and therefore what was meant to be the growing schism between them left me cold. Also, the depiction of anyone in uniform - the Black and Tans, the Royal Irish Constabulary, and then the Free State army, was that of cartoonish brutality with no room for nuance. This missed the chance of being an intelligent and thought-provoking film: by showing such a black and white view of an extremely complex period of Irish history, the film cannot be hailed by anyone of intellect as being anything but a picturesque walk in the wilds, begorrah!

Familiar polemic by Ken Loach, but this doesn’t detract from the fact that it is a very fine film indeed. Well crafted, emotional and although highly partisan it is sophisticated enough illuminate without clumsiness. Loach shows us the ebb and flow of reason and emotion that makes civil conflict so hideous and the ultimate treachery between comrades both inevitable and excruciating. Visceral and depressing, a contemporary message for the troubled times we live in...

An extraordinary film, this brings the times of the Black & Tans and the ensuing civil war in Ireland ('The Troubles') to the screen in a fierce and credible movie. Families in the past were very much affected by the Black & Tans and stories were passed down of the atrocities they committed. Many of them were released from jail in England on condition they serve in this brutal force and they gladly availed themselves of the chance at freedom, with very little oversight into how they conducted themselves amongst the downtrodden and impoverished citizens of Ireland during that time. Ken Loach, along with his writer, Paul Laverty, does an admirable job of bringing this complexity to the screen. It also struck me that this was the right time to do it - on a few levels, most notably that Ireland has been, economically, hugely successful, with the past, for the most part now forgotten, and for another in light of the civil war following the invasion and oppression of Iraq. Cruelty begets cruelty. Cillian Murphy is amazing in his role of the young doctor Damien with Padraic Delaney playing his brother. But all the other bit parts excel, I've rarely seen such a cast of terrific and believable actors. The mood of the era is captured beautifully, mainly filmed in the wilds of West Cork and evoking the fragile times of that era when whole families were torn apart when The Treaty was signed - some wanting to continue the fight for full autonomy, others wanting to cease the battle and grab at the chance for peace. This was carefully crafted by all concerned, some of the dialogue would need subtitles, though I had no difficulty, and some of the scenes are gut wrenching in their realism.

Any treatment of this turbulent phase in Irish history will attract controversy and stir up old enmities, but Ken Loach's effort comes closer to an impartial account than most others. The pomposity of the British ruling classes and the thuggery of the Black and Tans finds its counterpoint in the romantic, socialist idealism of the more radical IRA members. The historical context is skilfully and subtly presented - the post-Great War British perspective and agenda is sometimes overlooked in stories seeking to beatify the Irish martyrs of the 1916-22 era, but Loach manages to achieve a clever balance. This is a powerful and upsetting tale of an emergent nation struggling to come to terms with itself and with a tired and embattled imperial foe, and in the process coming close to tearing itself apart. Compelling and moving with consistently excellent performances (although Cillian Murphy is perhaps a little wet-looking for his role).

It succeeds on just about every front. Not only is it involving, affecting, impecably acted and flawlessly directed, but it left me with a thirst for more knowledge of the 'troubles' in Ireland. To my shame, I hadn't previously been too interested in it as terrorism turns me off any cause in whose name it's used, but after this film I'm going to delve deeper. An absolute gem of a film - I can't imagine a single friend of mine that wouldn't appreciate it.

This is one of the worst films I've ever seen. Horrific violence with absolutely no justification. Terrible acting. If there was a plot I never found it as I had to turn it off after less than 20 minutes.

Listen, we know the British made a bit of a clanger in Ireland, to put it mildly. We know they are brutal animals to a man, we know the Irish are the only nation with any honor or backbone.... hang on a minute... sorry, my mind was suddenly taken over by the blind predjudice fairy. Just as Ken Loach's was I fear. Come ON people, get a grip. It is possible to portray this time in Ireland's history without resorting to the kind of English brute stereotypes who wouldn't be out of place in a Batman comic. There was way too much fake angst, wild camera work and preaching in this film. Too much 'stuff' crammed in, leaving the viewer dizzy and cross... The one star was for the scenery, if you want to know...

I needed the subtitles and I needed to look on google to do a bit more research into the detail of what was happenning in Ireland in 1920 in order to feel geared up for the film. Having done this little bit of preparation, I thought this film was exceptional. Not only was it exciting in terms of action but it really made me think about the history of why people got involved with the wars in Ireland. For me it was an education and a real thought provoker. I'm sure that people with a really good knowledge about that particular time in Ireland will pick up various points on which the film lets itself down, but for someone like me who knows a bit of background, I would definitely recommend it.

COULDNT REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING, COULD HEAR BECAUSE THE ACCENTS WERE TOO THICK. WAS ALL A BIT HIGGLEDY PIGGLEDY...IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. TOO CONFUSING I FELL ASLEEP.

Having studied Irish history I was really looking forward to watching this film but it simply fails to deliver, the characters are not fully developed and therefore they do not grow on you and you never really feel for their plight. This film as a really good story to tell but the poor direction means that this episode in British history is still untold.

As a grey top who was taught this period of Irish history at school in Dublin in the 40's by a teacher who came from the area where the film is set, I tended to dismiss it as so much glorification of war. Since then I've read many books on the subject and gained a decent knowledge of what went on at the time. As a kid, I lived near and spoke often to folk who took part in the civil war and this film portrays it just as they told it. War, all war, is terrible and recent events in Ireland will hopefully rid the island of the affliction that has torn it apart for hundreds of years but especially since 1969. Ken Loach still reigns supreme as a film maker and he has done a brilliant job with this film. I would highly recommend it.

i never watched this myself as it was a film my boyfriend had wanted to see, to gain a different perspective. He thought the film was okai but it was 'expectedly' one sided.

Very interesting but not entertainment, violent.

Saw this at the cinema. Very balanced and not at all anti-British. In fact, much of the film is about the civil war that followed the peace treaty. It doesn't suffer from Loach's usual sentimentality. The best film I've seen for years.

Too much on the political discussions.

Tried several times to watch this film but I just couldn't get past the first 40 minutes or so. Maybe it's a really good film and I should have persevered but I couldn't be bothered.

What a disappointment. Wonderful atmosphere,good acting by the main characters but nondescript lads in cloth caps quite undistinguishable from each other. In the the main the vital dialogue was incomprehensible.As a result I doubt it represented the truth

Sorry. Just couldn't watch it so can't give it any stars. I'm sure it's a well acted piece and the costumes and setting and everything was brilliant, but I'm getting over-sensitive in my old-age and couldn't take the subject matter. My husband enjoyed it and thought it was very good, but I only got a quarter way into it and had to leave.

Excellent acting, but very heavy and quite troubling! We as English men and women have quite a history. Dont expect a good nights sleep after this film!

A one sided version of Irish history or how the Republicans like to see their past.

Grim as grim can be and ultimately left you feeling - grim ( that's the word ! ).

This was disappointing all around. The English were all cut out caricatures and there wasn't much in the way of of good acting to draw me towards the main characters. I felt propagandized, rather than entertained, and I left with no more knowledge of the historical events than I had before I saw the film.

Forget the British Press of that likened Ken to a Nazi- this film says as much about the Irish stupidity of Civil War as it does the illegal occupation of Ireland by British Forces. Superb performances all round. Does much to educate people on the actuality of events

I found this disappointing compared to Land and Freedom, Ken Loache's other overtly political film, and certainly a long way inferior to his more personal and small-scale dramas like My Name is Joe, Sweet Sixteen and the classic Kes. This came across like a political tract: Irish good, English bad, with stereotypical characters that I couldn't easily believe in and a lot of attempts at emotional manupulation (e.g. the torture scenes) that were simply gross and distasteful. I think that despite a high standard of acting and excellent photography the film failed to get beyond the superficial Amnesty International style journalistic approach and was much less deserving of its Oscar than many of Loach's earlier offereings.

This film features some moving and intense performances and is not for the faint hearted. It is set against a political & historical background that illustrates some of the horrors of the British occupation of Ireland, and the madness of brother fighting against brother ,and former friend against friend in the bloody Civil War which resulted from the political chicanery and compromise that brought about the tragic partitioning of the island country. Great performances all round, although thick Irish brogue very difficult to follow at times.

quality movie.... Cillian Murphy was sublime. Stunning performance from all the cast. I recommend to all.

This film was an excellent and solid story.I Definatley recommend it.

This was one of those films that was on my list to see at the cinema, but was missed for whatever reason, so I was keen to catch up with it on DVD. I understand Ken Loach's political position and was expecting something polemical, already hinted at by the trailers I'd seen and the publicity surrounding the film's release and success at Cannes. I am aware also of the apalling history of British brutality towards the Irish (and other nations subjugated under the banner of the 'Empire'), so this aspect of the film was not unexpected. Historically, I found it a convincing exploration of the birth of the Free State and the Civil War from a provincial Irish perspective. But I cannot agree with those who have hailed the film as a 'masterpiece', because for me the improvisational style just did not work. I think I understand what Loach was trying to achieve in adopting this approach together with his use of some non-professional actors, but for me it produced an effect akin to that of an amateur drama group (a description I have read elsewhere). Improvisation can work brilliantly (cite Mike Leigh), but I think needs exceptionally talented professional actors to bring it off convincingly. I just don't think it works here, where key scenes are dependent upon dramatic tension to carry the narrative forward (for example, the local court where the heated debate about the repayment of the loan highlights the conflict between high ideals of the Republican movement and the realities of the need for funding). Low-budget in itself is not sufficient excuse - there have been several small and medium scale films over the years exploring aspects of Irish history and 'the troubles' - see for example, Pat O'Connor's 'Cal' and Neil Jordan's 'Angel' and 'Michael Collins'. The subject matter deserves to be paid the compliment of a script with properly developed dialogue delivered in a dramatically convincing manner.

Beautifully filmed and brilliantly acted. Shows how war brutalises, alienates and sets brother against brother. Desperately sad and moving.

Have to agree with Jamie from London. In terms of 'the truth' , this story is far far removed from reality & manages to put a glowing spin on the future terrorist group that caused so much dreadful pain. Hugely stereotypical portrayal of all english as total and utter b*stards whilst all the good old 'oirish' locals were all either happy, 'begorragh' hurling-playing boys or domesticated flame-haired beauties. VERY disappointed with this, i thought Loach had more sensibility. 2 stars for cinematography, no-stars for a VERY lopsided and dangerously skewed viewpoint.

I'm disappointed that this powerful masterpiece seems to have been wasted on a vast majority of it's audience. It's global message about the realities and horrors of war, made more relevant by the current conflict in Iraq, has been used as a rather flimsy stick to bash the ideas of British imperialism and Republican disillusionment. A more mature approach is needed to appreciate this film for what it is.

I've just finished watching the film about five minutes ago, and I am very disappointed at such a lost opportunity to tell an interesting story with clarity and reflection. There were parts of this film that were maddiningly one sided and simpistic. It was just as well there were a couple of genuinly interesting moments in the film, otherwise this would literally have been the Irish Braveheart.

Ken Loach has very partisan politics, but sometimes this doesn't really matter. I recently watched Land and Freedom, and thought it was excellent. Given that both this film and Land of Freedom are fairly similar in terms of subject matter, I took time to think why I disliked this film so much over Land and Freedom. I think it's because the Spanish Civil War is something almost obscure nowadays, so simply having a film about it is an interesting. Whereas there can't be many British or Irish out there who don't know a few details about the struggle in Ireland. Being partisan about siding with the republicans in the Spanish Civil War is not going to cause quite as much fuss as siding with the republicans in the Irish struggle. Basically, we expect a film with a degree of complexity, because Britain and Ireland have lived with this conflict for many, many years. The British shouldn't have been in Ireland, and this is not exactly a shattering observation, and any reasonable person would accept this. But I don't think that everyone from Thurso to Penzance who was sent to Ireland at that time suddenly became some blood-crazed, sadistic loon, as Ken Loach will have it.

Land and Freedom was a film which very well dissected the conflicts within the Spanish republican movement, giving the opposing sides a fair chance to state their position in the film. In this film though, it's the radical republicans that are correct the whole way through the film - those who agreed to peace with Britain are deemed sell-outs, and aren't really given an opportunity to state their position fairly, or even attempt to understand them. They are just wrong, end of. Little attempt is made to understand the other position throughout the film. Rather than write off the views of the peace-makers and the British as just 'wrong', wouldn't it have been a far more interesting film if we understood their positions, even if we don't neccesarily agree with them? We can only truly get to grips with a point of view if we present the argument at it's strongest.

There are only two scenes in the film where arguments are fleshed out fairly - one is the very well done republican court room scene, where there is a dispute over a loan repayment. The court decides that an old lady need not pay back her loan to a money lender because she cannot afford it - and this judgement is applauded by the radicals. The IRA leaders, however, point out the money lender helps them get arms, without which they cannot fight a war. Finally - some ambiguity - finally, Ken Loach doesn't claim to have all the correct answers.

This subject deserves a much, much better film.

this film is brilliant. It completely captures the Troubles in Ireland and gives a heroic yet tragic portrail of the beginnings of the movement. some scenes in particular are difficult to watch but it leaves a lasting impresssion and is truely thought provoking. Well worth watching but dont expect easy viewing.

My family are Irish. My parents grew up in Northern Ireland during the troubles and are as knowledgeable about the history of Ireland as anyone I know. I knew bits and bobs of that history, but had never given a great deal of thought to what it was like to live before Ireland gained its independence. The brutal treatment of the Irish by the English soliders was an instant shock. There was no background to this story - it launched straight in there and this made it easy to empathise with the Irish characters. The treatment of the characters was sometimes hard to watch. I had to mute some parts and hide behind a cushion for others. But I bought into the story. I wanted to know what happened next. My one criticism is that there were some characters I couldn't understand, and by the end I felt more confused about my beliefs than when I had started watching the film. I'm not sure whether that was intentional or not. Either way it left me feeling a bit depressed. But I would watch this film again. And again.

This movie is both moving and an education! Keeps you interested all the way but certainly not an action movie. Think Cold Mountain meets Ireland with more violence and your almost there! Seriously though, an honour to those who died in the English occupation of Ireland!

Dreary , dull historical drama .

From the first scenes it was clear that this was going to be one of those films which takes a very biased view of a not so distant conflict. Every single British person in this film is portrayed as a thug, the only British soldier with any feeling turns out to be Irish. And so it goes until the treaty is signed. Then the pro-treaty side are portrayed as capitalist, while the anti-treaty are shown as completely idealistic socialist. OK, it's a nice story of friend-against-friend, but little more than that.

In short, given the historical resources, this film should have been an epic. It is, however flimsy at best. Vastly overrated.

Very well directed/shot/acted film. A great education about a critical point in irish history. Harrowing. Don't watch it if what you want is light entertainment or period drama!

Didn't enjoy this film at alll. Bailed out and went and had a bath (much more enjoyable) when they started pulling fingernails out with pliers. Agree with previous reviews that thick irish accents were difficult to understand (subtitles would be a good idea) Found the whole film, very anti-british, which I perrsonally didn't like. However, my other half watched it and he enjoyed the history, but said that the ending was weak.

I couldn't watch the constantly violent scenes, no release, no breath of fresh air. Yet I guess that was reality for some!

What a shame, this could have been really good. From the opening sequence this film disappoints. Bad acting, poor story, no engagement (although it is pretty).

Even the Hurling is bad in the opening sequence. Wait here come the baddies, even the patriot wasn't this bad. No characterisation, no motivation, no backgrounding.

Don't buy it, don't rent it. You'll never get those 2 hours back.

It is very much like a TV drama, so it is not like a movie which should be more exciting! Perhaps politics is boring for me, and the Irish against the British is very frightening to me. I hope all in the film is all in the past and I hope the Irish and the British should look ahead to the future with friendliness.

Watched first 15 mins and stopped. Beware if you don't like gratuitous violence.

Whilst I am politically at the other end of the spectrum to Ken Loach, I have always liked and admired his films. So I had high hopes of this story about the Irish fight for independence and the tragic aftermath of the Civil War. But I was disappointed. This film could not make its mind up about whether it was a political polemic or documentary drama. There was also no serious attempt to show both sides of the story, a very important aspect of any balanced film about a complex subject. The British were shown very much as caricature villains. If a modern film about the Second World War depicted the Germans and Japanese in a similar fashion it would be 'laughed out of court'. Were there no British troops at this time who ever asked 'What the hell are we doing here making these peoples lives a misery?' if so it would be the first conflict in history that this has happened. The single anglo Irish character was treated in a similarly cavalier fashion. Many such families loved Ireland and its people and must have suffered terribly split loyalties. But there is no hint of this here. The struggle for Irish independence was a complex tragedy that requires a defter touch than this simplistic offering.

Not a bad film but the biassed nature of the piece spoils the impact.

Enlightening with regard to the situation between the Brits and the Irish during the 1920's. Monotonous bullying and violence. Failed to engage due to insufficient characterisation of individuals involved. Subtitles would have been helpful. Irish brogue very attractive but difficult to understand.

So, any association with change must end in fratricidal warfare. Here we see, repeatedly, the failure of organised labour, of organised hope, the failure of shared anger and death of aspiration. It is all made worse for anybody who liked *Land and Freedom*. The Spanish and Irish Republicans : both cohorts always sported a rainbow of support ranging from anti-capitalist to liberal bourgeois, from anti-fascist to proto-nationalist. Conflict in Spain in the 30's and Ireland in the 20's was bloody, internecine, and was unresolved in many ways, just as it was born from private atrocities and public ideology. And yet both conflicts brought people together, to fight, legislate, write, plan and plot against future atrocity. And yet here we find an unremittingly grim portrayal of human hope, aspiration, anger and political organisation. Human commonality is lost, in this film, and that's not just a sad representation but a silly political (and, more importantly, moral) message. Watch it, but don't keep a brick by the telly lest you throw it. Actually, hide the bricks in the shed too. Oh, and, there are no over-the-shoulder shots. Good or bad, it means nobody looks you in the eye as they, endlessly, betray both family, class and future.

This film felt real... the violence, the emotions, the turmoil, the chaos, the political passion which led to so much waste of life. Another 'when are we going to learn' film...' about a dark period of irish history (is there any other kind?) telling a story which needs to be told and which I believe was told with truth and integrity. There are no cheap thrills or concessionary light moments; it is gruelling and relentless to the last bleak frame.

Very moving and powerful film. Thought provoking, cried alot, fantastic acting, be prepared to be on a downer though, very real and painful story.

This is a good film and a story that has to be told.

It was very difficult to hear what the actors were saying,thefilm was shot in a peculiar way that at times looked amateurish,it covers an unpleasant story in a narrow way that sometimes dragged

I am sure this is a wonderful and important film, but I found it so violent that I couldn't bear to watch it and had to turn it off during the scene when the leader got 'interviewed'.

This is a harrowing tale well filmed. However, I have some reservations. As other reviewers have commented the Brits are portrayed as little more than brutal oppressors. I believe that it is important to expose this shameful piece of British oppression but in terms of the film it doesn't quite work for me. My real issue is that the later part of the film portraying the differences between the pro- and anti-treaty factions is over simplistic and represents the anti faction as "the good guys". My heart is with the anti's but in reality they were probably naive and certainly failed to understand the potential of the British state offering this opportunity. However, I'm not Irish and perhaps do not have the right to make too many judgements here. Michael Collin's Free State government had to spend huge amounts of energy and money fighting their own when Collins himself apparently wanted to try to deal with the issue of the six counties and at this time was attempting to prepare military action against the North. Collins and the Free Staters were hardly the friend of the British this film portrays as in this period Collins is purported to have arranged the assassination in London of a prominent Brit military figure for example. Good movie, very emotional but flawed.

This is one of those rare films that really make you think. It is about the Irish struggle for independence and how ordinary people can be drawn in to a way of life by circumstances not choice. Excellent film.

a view into the troubles of Ireland in the 1920s. quite brutal at times, though a good watch.

Gripping film, tremendous sense of time and place, must learn more about that period of Irish history. It was odd though that there was no apparent effect from close range small arms fire. It was a bit like schoolboys playing cops and robbers. Also those old Webleys surely couldn`t shoot three rounds so fast?

Lovefilm used to have a category 'masterpiece'. This is one, I think. I know some right-wing English 'harrumphed' about its depiction of Black and Tan violence but it was government policy and what Loach shows is TRUE. Was it Mad Melanie Phillips of the Daily Mail who said 'Loach seems to hate his country'? She or someone who likes to deny the way the English have behaved in so many colonial enterprises. This film is painfully violent - it tells the story of violence, on both sides - but it also deals with fierce idealism and humanity. I don't think it's fair to say that the English are just stereotypes. It isn't about the English; it's about the Irish struggle for freedom and it is wonderful that the story continues into the awful dilemma which led to civil war between the republicans and Free-Staters. That it does this is why it's a great film. The resolution of the conflict of brother against brother is almost unbearably heart-breaking. Brilliant story-telling and film-making.

This is a lushly photographed film with excellent performances from the leading actors but suffers from the usual schematic plot and dialogue of Loach's films. The 'Occupation' of Ireland is seen as parallel to Iraq but the analogy is a bit lame, and not explored well. But it was watchable and less tedious than most Loach films.

We have all seen it before - from Braveheart to Spartacus. Fighting the oppressor for freedom but what makes the Irish conflict so ripe for dramatic tension is the time when the 1920 truce is declared and the Irish turn against one another on their differing view points of independence. This the film does well. Ken Loach has been here before with Land and Freedom about the Spanish Civil War. In all honesty watching these two films back to back a lot of similar ground is covered as well as style of photography and substance of script. This could be a case of history repeating itself but it can also be construed as laziness. Whilst the acting and the recreation of post WW1 Ireland is excellent there is, surprising, little in the way of character development. So when two brothers end up on opposing sides and the tragic consequence of one executing the other very little in the way of empathy is attained. Yes it is sad but it should have been heart-breaking. The politics is well done but as usual the British are drawn with a one dimensional image - evil and cruel. A little more balance could have added a lot more tension and edge to the film.

but I just wanted to add my tuppence halfpenny and say that despite the flaws noted by other reviewers, I appreciated this film for its contribution to the message of 'evil begets evil'; it is all too easy to be partisan and forget that atrocities are not the province solely of 'the enemy'.

I recognised that this was a good movie, well made and well acted. However, I also had problems with the sound, and as another reviewer wrote, 'an Irish brogue' is usually easy to understand, and I do feel I missed alot because I simply could not hear what was being said. Not an easy film to watch in the sense of harrowing scenes, but to make it realisticly believable I can see why this must be so. It even occurred to me that they should have used subtitles, which sounds somewhat ridiculous - but felt sure I may have enjoyed it more if I had understood all of the dialogue - no offence to the Irish, as I think it is a beautiful accent!

Thanks to reading the reviews we started with subtitles and thus overcame one of the two problem areas of the film - the poor soundtrack and diction. The other area of concern was the black (English) and white (Irish) characterisation. Surely the English weren't all completely rotten and the Irish weren't all enlightened patriots. There were rotters in both camps. The good points were the sense of period and the cast - with no stars you were able to believe in the actors that much more. Quite a good watch - but not outstanding.

We didn't enjoy this film, and I actually switched off and baled out when it got to the finger nail pulling with pliers. So this review can only relate to the first quarter of the film. It gives a totally one dimensional view with the British soldiers all total baddies and the Irish all lovable goodies, no context given. It was also very difficult to understand the heavy Irish accents - realistic maybe but subtitles would have helped. Realism is good but comprehension is better. I'm quite willing to agree that the Irish cause was just, but making all the Brit soldiers appear cruel vindictive inhumane ciphers made the whole thing lack depth.

A gripping story, beautifully filmed...but, somehow, not totally convincing. The two brothers around whom the tragedy unfolds are poorly written and lacking in characterization and hinterland and the portrayal of the wicked English and loveable Irish is just too black and white to be believable. Nevertheless, there are some scenes where sincerely held beliefs and misunderstandings on both sides are highlighted in telling vignettes. The confused English officer who angrily points out that his soldiers have just come out of four years of hell in the bloodiest war ever fought by mankind registered strongly, as did the loyalist landowner who goes to his death bravely shouting defiance. Much of this film is good - excellent, in fact - and this is a valiant attempt to encapsulate the confusion, beliefs and passion of the Irish fight for freedom. However, the story just doesn't hold up. The theatrical ending is just too melodramatic for this viewer to accept without a lot more explanation.

You can always depend on Ken Loach to pick difficult themes and produce terrific drama and performances. Set against the Easter uprising and batle for Irish Independence this movie is a treat. So many of the performances by the predominantly Irish cast were natural and that's down to Ken Loach's direction. The pain and intensity of Cliam Murphy's performance was a joy to watch.

A gripping film that shows the struggle for Irish Home Rule in the 1920's from a balanced and non bias point of view. As a student studying this time period i found it not only useful, but events were accurately portrayed, showing attrocities from both the British and Irish, in a bitter war that shows a young doctor's struggle in this period and the civil war that threatened to brake out in the aftermath of the peace treaty. Good acting especially from Cillian Murphy, whilst the director managed to show a tricky period of history in this gripping, but accurate account of events.

If you know little or nothing about the struggle for Irish Independance then after viewing this film you will be none the wiser. There is very little storyline or characters that we can get to know or identify with. Instead we are treated to a series of one violent scene after another, either Brits on Irish or Irish on Irish. The amount of swearing is unbeleavable even by todays standards, People just did'nt talk like that then. Amazing how Film directors try so hard to get the detail correct then let themselves down with a view of modern lighting posts,track etc as seen briefly in 'The station scene' Interesting realistic camera techniques & acting but poor story. If you want to see an entertaining story & learn some Irish History then I would recommend both 'MICHAEL COLLINS' or 'The HANGING GALE' instead of this muddled effort

It is no surprise that this film scooped the Palme D'or, it is an incredible film and one that I will always remember. It is in equal parts; moving, harrowing and disturbing. Do not expect a happy ending but do expect a beautifully crafted film.

This film is worth watching but doesnt really tell us anything new, it was all a bit been there done that kind of a film.

The film is quite powerful in the opening minutes. I felt for the friends and family of the young Irishman beaten in the barn. I don't particularly like the idea of the 'freedom' fighters' looking like heroes but the oppression they endured was probably justified back then. A powerful story worth a look!

A typical Ken Loach attempt to convey a story about the underdog; in this case the underdog being Ireland's twentieth century fight for its freedom from the oppressive British. I can't wait to see the sequal:Eighty years later and Ireland agrees to be ruled by the faceless unelected mandarins of Brussels. That ought to pack them into the 1/-9s in Dublin. It couldn't be any worse than this unpleasant load of nonsense. I pitied the poor actors whom I envisage hadn't a clue at times in which direction they were supposed to be heading. Particularly when it called for acting amid chaotic scenes, because that's all we got, chaotic scenes. This film will appeal to the fringe groups I suppose. Well it was surely they who helped it to get its award.

A powerful, totally convincing portrayal of a very regrettable period in the history of these two islands. The locations, situations, and characters all feel very authentic. At times it's painful to watch, but the performances grip, and the dilemmas ring true.

This is a shocking and harrowing film, immaculately filmed. Although I hope a lot of what happens has been exagerated for dramatic effect I suspect it probably hasn't. I wouldn't have missed watching this, and it's a good way of understanding the history between Ireland and England - not a 'vegging out with a bottle of wine' film.

Excellent story, but how near the truth I don't know. I'm still not sure if this is a propaganda film advertising the I.R.A. and trying to justify them. Acting was good and realistic and the script, or tho hard to follow made the plot. A little long winded, but interesting aspect to life in Ireland post second world war.

Politics and the other side of the coin. ‘Syriana’ presents interesting parallels .

Great cinematography and great acting tells the story of the early beginnngs of the IRA in the 1920s. You might need to use subtitles for the Irish accents though.

More violent than I was expecting, found it really really difficult to understand the heavy accents to begin with, resulting in me not quite knowing what was going on. Ending was disappointing, in that i didnt want the film to end then, so I must have been enjoying it. Great acting.

This was the first DVD I rented and I made a mistake in rating it only 3 stars. A really good and griping film. Makes you proud to British (not).

It's wonderful that we still have directors like Ken Loach (and writers like Paul Laverty) who tell stories about real people with such poetic grace - warts and all. This is a beautufully shot account of the Irish struggles in the 20s. It doesn't whitewash the internal debates that not only separated people but made monsters of some. The cast are all pretty wonderful but Cillian Murphy deserves a special mention. You'll learn something about history from this film and you'll be moved by it. Powerful stuff and definitely worth seeing. .

It's novel to see this subject explored in mainstream cinema, but difficult to know why people suggest it's beautifully shot. It simply isn't. There may be too much violence and shoot/up action from Hollywood, but at least they do it well. Here, the most terrifying cases of British brutality against the Irish are lame and staged. The bloodless executions could be taking place on stage, and the Irish are routinely 'rounded up' like Buster Keaton's villians. Nutshell: You could be watching a BBC (late) Sunday drama.

This film was very powerful. I can't comment on the factual integrity of the events but I couldn't help but be swayed by the resilience of the Irish portrayed in this film. Some shocking violence and ultimately a tragic, ironic ending. True to Ken Loach form, this film does not have a happy ending but rams home the harsh reality of human nature. Terrific.

This film was quite moving.
The strong Irish dialect meant that some of the words were difficult to understand and quite abit of strong language which actually was probably necessary .However that didn't spoil the story within the film.
Not sure as to if it was totally factually correct but it made me stop and think.

my mother enjoyed this.

I was a little nervous about the prospect a watching this movie, and this proved justified. Brilliant, but intense and graphic regarding attitudes on both sides. The British army came off worse. It was hard to believe what one was watching. It was sad and deeply moving and seemed to set the armed struggle for freedom in a shameful context, and gave a true, I believe, portrayal of how distant our leaders get from the people. A kind of must watch film - follow it up with the Rwanda movies!!

Too often us Brits' are fed the patroitic stuff. Well this is an interesting story with a distinctly Irish slant (All the better for it I say!). It is not particularly fast paced, and is all the better for the nicely hinted at, but not shown, lovemaking scene. This film has a tragically sad and ironic ending, which I will not spoil for you.

This film gives you a taste of the struggle in Ireland. It leads you to want more information on earlier history and understand why the English were in Ireland in the first place. The injustice appears typical early English history and explains the deep felt anger to any form of external rule. Great film.

Really good moving film liked it a lot and it did give life to a bit of Irish history. Thwe accents are a bit hard to understand but after 10 minutes or so you get your ear in

I found this an intresting film which held my attention throughout. While I would not dispute the portraial of the actions of the british army or the black and tans as being honest, I would be lying if I did not say I though it to be shown in a very one dimensional manner. I would only assume that this was done to raise the question how can they act this way? To be fair no film could be scoped in such a way to give us the back story of WW1 veterans sent to ireland or for that matter the highly questionable recruitment pool for the Black and Tans so the final scenes showing the Free Irish army partacting in the same practices which motivated the conflict is probably the most telling in the film.

An excellent drama in which you understand how badly the Irish were treated by us Brits. The way it gets it's message across is a lesson in brilliant story telling and superb performances.

This is a wonderful film about the struggle for Irish independence. Yes it shows the well documented violence of the British army against the Irish but it also is honest about the splits within the republican molvement over the treaty.

Excellent film one that keeps you occupied, make sure you have nothing else to do.

This particular handling of the theme of the birth of modern Ireland stands in contrast to the more panoramic efforts that we have seen in respect of Michael Collins and Ryan's Daughter. The sharp focus on individual characters swept up in wider events presents an interesting challenge to the viewer. It's clear that there is sympatico for the individual British soldiers who had fought in France then to be detailed in Ireland and both sides of the Irish divide - so the 'anti-British' criticism simply does not stand up. Current events in other parts of the world are refracted here, but ultimately the narrow scope of this production means that it looks more like an ambitious TV production rather than having the detachment and symbolism that one might have expected from the assembled cast of 'Trade Unionist', 'Intellectual son', 'Opportunist' 'Tortured soul', 'Mother Ireland' etc. Interesting, but not the final word on the subject.

To be honest I dont exactly know what I was hoping to get out of this film, It's not my kind of film at all, I decided to rent it after hearing reviews on it but it wasnt wat I was expecting at all, Im not that interested in the whole political war that went on, but for those that are, perhaps this film is for you. If your into the whole Irish history on the IRA, well this goes into the background behind it being set up and how the group seperated. It's good for historical purposes, but like I said, its not my cup of tea!

Didn't really know what to expect when I ordered this, but thought it would provide some insight into the troubles in Ireland in 1920. I really enjoyed the film, well cast and well shot. Definitely worth a watch.

Great subject matter. well performed and brilliantly directed. A JEM !!!!!

excellent look at the beginings of the troubles accents hard to follow at times but well worth a look.

Not the film that I expected from the newspaper reviews at the time. I though that this was a sophisticated and challenging account of little talked about events. Solid acting and fine visuals, a moving story. Well worth a look.

This is an extremely interesting , if not a tad long and ultimately depressing. Cillian Murphy is as incredible as ever. The first half paints the British soldiers in a less than perfect light, the second, performs exactly the same task on the Irish. Well worth a watch, expecially for those interested in the history and issues it deals with.

Found this a fascinating film about the early Irish troubles and could not help comparing it to present situation in Iraq. Powerful in its message of people being ruled by a foreign power. We always are given the medias slant on a story and it is refreshing to see movies such as this redressing the balence.

While the history of Ireland will always provoke the making of films this is testimony to the hatred of the times. At first it appears one sided then balances later however it demonstrates that when the perceived enemy is no longer the enemy those who originally fought the enemy turn on each other. A shocking film and quite sad.

Well if this film depicts the reality of the British rule in Ireland during the 20's then I was ashamed to be English. I was in the British Army during the IRA terror campaigns and obviously detested the bombings and terrorism they were behind, but maybe if the British in the early years had pulled out and left the Irish to themselves it would not have got worse. This film was moving and very violent, I cringed at a lot of the violence. However the Irish accents were so strong that you really have to listen. Interesting and different film.

This was a very good film and makes interesting watching. However I did find the film quite depressing and althougheveryone should watch it especially if you want to gain some history knowledge on the situation in Ireland but not if you want to be cheered up!!!

magnificent film it brutally honest about the troubles in irland it makes me proud to be irish.i would recommend to anyone looking for a good drama or action film.

Very good film, gritty but simplified; will hopefully spur the viewer to want to know more about a disgusting and shameful period in our history

Very well acted and moving drama. Would recommend it to other viwers as a film well worthwatching.

Quite a good film, the charcaters were believeable but quite violent

Started watching this, then restarted for the benefit of a friend. It's beautifully shot, well acted, great authentic locations. It's hardcore political polemic. It's about Ireland, it's about the origins of the struggle. Pulls no punches and tends to portray the Black and Tans as the oppressor and invader . One has complete sympathy for the rebels. who ultimately become devided in their aims and methods, a schism, depicted by the two brothers who begin in the same place and end up on the opposite end of the spectrum. It's serious, but its heart is in the right place, it's agenda is somewhat transparent, but who cares, as it casts the spotlight on a part of Anglo Irish history some might prefer to keep in the shadows.

This is a powerfull film. It is very brutal in some scenes.

I think it achieved the real atmosphere of those very tense,difficult times that we've heard so much about but never experienced.Gripping stuff!

I found this to be a powerful and uncomfortable film. One is taken back to the beginnings of the troubles in Ireland and the working man's revolt against his oppressors, the English soldiers. The cast seemed perfect and the constant feelings of fear, danger, anger and sympathy were certainly transmitted to the viewer

You need to know your history regarding the troubles in Ireland. Excellent film. Eye openner.

This film presents the Republican Movement in Ireland with sympathy and shows how the British Army did its utmost to suppress it. It is an interesting counterpoint to the negative portrayal of the IRA over the years and demonstrates the apparent injustices shown to the Irish Nation. The belief in the cause of Irish Nationalism is superbly portrayed by Cillan Murphy and the rest of the cast. This film could cause those of British origin (such as myself) to feel somewhat ashamed of the atrocities perpetuated in the name of the Empire and thankful that peace appears to have finally come to pass throughout Ireland.

Ken Loach shows where the IRA were coming from and how the struggle for equality became so violent. Sensitive, emotional but never sentimental. Human relationships set against ideals of human rights.

gritty harrowing film about sad subject brilliantly acted tackling core conflicts of interest re. loyalty to cause and or blood better to watch it with others

Bit too violent, all three veiwers didn't last. It was the torture scene that finally made us turn it off. Very true, well acted and gritty but too hard to get past the graphic stuff to discover the depth or point of what the director was wanting us to get from the film apart from the fact that Northern Ireland has been a in such a horrible state for so long.

The only criticism I can make of The Wind That Shakes The Barley is the heavy bias of the film. There is enough evidence to back the view of the appalling behaviour of British troops in Ireland in the early part of the 20th century without the almost pantomime portrayal of the Black and Tans shown. For the most part the film is gripping drama and well acted throughout.

Thought provoking, fantastic shot film and acted but a bit slow

I was worried when I rented this film that it would be another Brit-bashing film, but it is in fact an oustanding insight into the determination of one man to see his mission through. The ending is supremely sad, but like most Loach films, it's well shot, makes you feel as though you are almost partaking rather than just a casual observer and never dissapoints.

after all publicity given to the irish nationalist views espoused by the IRA it was interesting to be challenged to see the issues from another angle. I very much liked the intimate filming so that i felt drawn in to the action and the fact that i could not understand every word only added to the otherworldliness of the irish situation at the time of the black and tans. glad i saw it.

This is such a good film. I can't recommend highly enough that you watch it. Food for thought, this is one that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.

The backdrop to most of Ken Loach's movies tend to be more mundane rather than something as seismic as this. There are plenty of scenes of cruelty by the 'Black 'n' Tan's' in this movie and quite rightly so, as it's not as if this lowpoint in the British Army's long history of overseas involvement has been well recorded, but it all just seemed a bit too easy to portray the situation as black ('n' tans) and white. In war there are no winners.

I'm sure this is a true representation of the awfulness of the Black & Tans, but that is why I had to stop watching it. The violence was just too extreme for a faintheart like me. If you can take it - watch it. It happened.

Disturbing and completely believable. A very serious film, this is no entertainment but rather a very good view at how the IRA developped. Be careful some scenes are very strong.

Get this film out of my house now!!! Should have got Sin City and a box of tissues!! Nice. (One for the guys there!)

very good and typical of the irish struggle for freedom

very watchable. well made film, gives a gritty insight into the Irish struggle in the 1920's.

This film was well acted and scenically beautiful. It was gripping and thought provoking.

A very political film like Ken Loach's other films, and in a similar style. I do like his attempts to show some of the arguments of the participants, as in the court scene, and the reactions to the Treaty. It doesn't have much in the way goodies and baddies, except maybe the unseen British government. Ken Loach said during an interview I heard that it was not just about Ireland, but about militarism in general, and how people are dehumanised in such situations, whether British soldiers in Ireland or Americans in Iraq. I liked the Michael Collins film as well, which overlaps with this film.

Not exactly an uplifting film but it was a great film.

A sensitive subject honestly, for the most part, tackled. A good representation of the time with some fine acting. A shame about the soundtrack...all to often these days the dialogue is indistinct and inaudable in parts, more attention to this aspect of the genre should be taken.

A very emotive film. Well shot with great images. Powerful content. Worth watching for historical means if no other. It didn't rock my world but a good film.

An interesting but slightly sterotypical look at Ireland's turbulent history. Good performances all round but the authenticity is marred by the two-dimensional English villains.

great film good direction

Well, they say that Ken Loach never backs away from controversy and this film certainly packs the punches all the way to the final act. Cillian Murphy is good once again and an energetic supporting cast keep this going through the more troublesome and violent moments.

I'M AFRAID I COULD ONLY STAND 15 MINUTES OF THIS FILM AS THE VIOLENCE AND BRUTALITY WERE FAR TOO GRAPHIC FOR ME.

An excellent film that fulfills any expectations you have before watching a Ken Loach movie. Yet again he managed to blend astounding authenticity and realism with a cracking story, great characters and beautiful images. As I have found before with Ken Loach films, you often feel as if you are involved in an intense political dialogue with no clear answers, rather than being a passive cinema viewer, how does he do that? I personally found the film so involving that I can pin point two individual occasions where the film wasn’t quite perfect and I was jarred back into reality, before getting sucked in again, in a word, excellent.

Very moving film based on the British occupation of Ireland in the 1920's. It gives us insight into the sufferings and struggles (both personal and political)of people under occupation. Highly recommended.Quite a fast moving film with no boring bits.Good storyline and great acting.Be prepared to shed a tear.

Very good historical account of this period of Irish history that puts into context the more recent troubles.

A superbly shot dark film which gave a real feel of the struggles that the Irish had in early 1900's. A very emotive and poignant movie that angers for the treatment handed out by the British Govt, which is what a decent film should do of course

The dialect was so difficult to understand that I found it difficult to concentrate on the film. Thank goodness for sub text.

This film was a little hard to get in to mainly because as you had to adjust to the strong Irish accent but it was worth sticking with. It was very powerful with fantastic acting but maybe was a little long?

A great film. I'm not usually one for Irish history films as they tend to be rather inaccurate and unbelieveably biased. This film is certainly an exception to the rule. Brilliant performances from just about everyone and the camera work was good too. Touching, funny, sad - it's a real roller-coaster emotionally. Definitely recommended.

It was OK, but didn't live up to expectation. Whilst I wasn't expecting a big budget film, it did seem rather short on locations and felt a bit disjointed in parts.

hard to understand thick Irish accents, otherwise good

This is a very good film that tells the story of the struggle of independance in Ireland. Well acted, well shot and very imformative. A triumph!!!

The story of the way this country treated the Irish needs telling and this film does that very clearly - very violent in parts but clear in its presentation

This is one of the few recent films which has shown the viewer the true happenings of ireland in the early 1900's. A fantastic film with some top notch acting and directing. Very Highly reccomended.

Really amasing film, moved me greatly and rally opened my eyes. Was good to watch having just been to Dublin and visited the National History museum. Acting was first class. Harrowing but very very good.

Gritty historical drama, strong characters and convincing storyline. Definately one to watch !!

The movie deserved all the awards it got, it is remarkable piece. Thru the story it tells about a life of a man who choose to join IRA due to circumstances in his life, and the wish to change his world pushes him forward and gets him more and more involved, even doing the things he would rather not for the greater cause. Even if you do not approve his actions, movie puts you in the perspective where you can uderstand why he did it. A definite must see.

Depressing from start to finish. Irish people being tortured and oppressed.

It's not exactly an uplifting movie but it does show both sides of a story that could easily have been turned into a polemic. Worth a watch. Nice side partings too!

A harrowing yet difficult to follow film. Difficult to understand if one is not well versed in irish history. Yet a good film. Slow at times. Emotional.

...but very good. The plot goes out of its way to do nasty things to the participants, but then so did the Irish civil war.

Wasnt sure what to expect from this one, set amongst hardship depression & struggle its not any easy film to watch. Very insightful & shows how even the strongest relationships are tested to the limits when politics are involved. Very well filmed & acted

Might have been a good film, but the thick accents practically made it a foreign language film.

As the review title suggests, The Wind That Shakes The Barley deals with the ouroborous-like struggle for Irish indpendence. Being drawn into this heady atmosphere of violent British occupation and divided republican goals is irresistible. Though there is little to lighten the mood from the first few minutes til the inevitable final scenes, it's still worth the engrossing trawl through the beautiful landscapes and simplified politics.

I never knew much about the struggle of the Irish people against the British. Although you know there is a lot of hatred or stories of abuse and retribution I personally never got the sequence of event clear in my head. And watching this movie gave me a starting point. It is well made with good characters and there is also the all important twist at the end. The twist is a historic fact, like in a horror movie or in a thriller, the twist unsettles a previously well funded balance, the historic twist shows why nothing is really resolved to the present day. But being a good reference is not what all this movie is about. Watch it if you like that sort of thing.

good film with quite cold matter of fact reality. ends a bit abruptly but doesn,t suffer for it.

A bit dissapointing and a bit depressing.

Only watched about 30 mins as did not enjoy the dark and the violence.

Superbly acted and crafted film. Presents the hard truth of the situation in Ireland in those years. It does not seek to justify the terroist organisation that eventually came from these turbulent years.
Loach's approach to the drama of the stories is a hard and brutal.
The film lacks any sentimentality.
Its not easy to watch.

excellent film would definately recommend to anyone

Great film, very powerful viewing

Very powerful film, we did enjoy it, and beautiful photografy, and very painful to watch.

Gutsy, visceral and bravely lacking a musical soundtrack, this well crafted movie is brutally effective in portraying the merciless struggle for Irish independence in the 1920's. Although of course portrayed from the Republican 'side' (as yet there is no producer brave enough to do otherwise) the movie is relatively even handed in it's approach. Both protagonists are presented as violent and uncompromising. The Irish are generally cold, brutal and unfeeling and the British are spectacularly nasty and racist. The movie is easy to follow with a tight linear plot line and careful characterisation. The acting is low key and credible with no one stealing the show. This is one of the better movies about a difficult period in Irish (and British) history.

as usual, Ken Loach projects his naive world view on a political situation. much better than Carla's Song however, the film seems more authentic by focusing on the lives of ordinary people rather than the key players (no sight of Connelly, Collins or de Valera). good drama beset on occasion by set piece polemics showing the differing views of the republican side. good performances throughout with the usual mixing of professional and non professional actors.

Really enjoyed this, if that's the right word. Very hard to watch but worth it.

This was a film about ordinary Irish folk caught up in the events leading to the creation of the Irish Free State. More particularly it focused on the brutality of the British troops - the so-called Black & Tans - in supressing these irish moves to take more control over their own destiny. While not doubting that much of the action of the British was vicious this film over-emphasises this at the expense of presenting a more rounded popular history. Of course, Loach is presenting a left-wing view but more of the British position in Ireland and a look at the major political players would have suited me better. So when Michael Collins is blamed for selling out the republican cause there is no background to the events that would support this view. This is still a worthwhile watch for its compassionate treatment of the ordinary Irish people in 1920 but, like Loach's treatment of the Spanish civil war in 'Land and Freedom'(see my review) it falls far short of the full story.

The birth of IRA movement is examined in the movie,British soldiers use brutal methods on poor irish people and they fight back.The violence is cruel on both sides as revolutionary dogma takes over.Starting a revolutionary movement against brutal oppression is easy but keeping a united front is something else.There are torture scenes that make you squirm, and the final scene is sad indeed.A film with no winners, welll acted and directed. The nearest dvd to this is probably Michael Collins, not a popcorn movie but worth a watch for the discerning veiwer.

At times incomprehensible but beautifully shot and acted.

More parochial in its scope than Michael Collins, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, explores the impact of the Irish troubles on a smaller community rather than trying to give a national picture and because of it the result is arguably more powerful. The brutality of the British soldiers is hard-hitting as is the impotence and frustration of the Irish people to deal with them. I found parts of the film a little slow-moving and some of the accents a little difficult to understand (low murmured voices didn’t help) but this didn’t detract from what is undeniably a good film with a ring of truth about it.

I watched this one, wondering about what was reality and what had been added for extra dramatic effect. Many scenes reminded me of my happiest times driving round the hills of Kerry, but then again it ghosts the feelings you get of a hard times history. This film showed some of the harsh and terrible treatments of the then oppressed Irish peoples and it enforces the relief that there is now peace in Ireland and long may it last. A dramatical portrayal of a horrible part of history and yet the strength and beauty of Ireland's lovely green lands shines through in the scenery of this brutle film. I really enjoyed (seems the wrong word here) watching this film.

I thoroughly enjoyed this; again another I would watch again, and soon. Made the times clearrer, I had always been curious about some of the history attached as the impact on more modern times was always key during my childhood. Again, an older teens/family film. A serious subject matter.

A powerful film about the futility of the Irish situation in the between war years. Great engaging characters and a moving story. Only slightly tared by the over villainisation of the English (as always), and this time by an English director.

What a depressing film. Very interesting though

Difficult to seperate the issues involved from the production of a good film. The film is really good, it is engrossing, it is shocking at times, it is close to heart and mind. Most of all it resonates with today. It resonates with our television news. Motivation. Environment. Dissent.

The Wind That Shakes The Barley aviods the pitfalls you may think it is bound for. It looks great but not luscious. The acting is just about right. I resist five stars because as a film it needed to travel a little further from the issues and be more aware of narrative and action.

This film is designed to generate sympathy for the Irish folk and it succeeds to a large degree. Being English I feel shame that my countrymen, indeed the heroes of World War 1, were guilty of such horrors but haven't similar tales been told of our lads in Iraq and perhaps it is just the intense media coverage that has curtailed such atrocities.

The questions remain - was there a positive side to the British occupation of Ireland? - why were the Irish such sitting ducks for being oppressed? The film does not provide any answers to these issues and perhaps it is a failing that a wider perspective of this period in Ireland is not covered. Nevertheless there is much to commend about this production - it is certainly gripping.

The big question remains - Did we really think that occupying Iraq in 2004 was going to be any different? When will we ever learn?

Loach's movie pulls no punches. Both sides act with unrelenting savagery against their perceived enemies- including "the enemy within". Both sides are utterly convinced they have right on their side. Both sides show compassion and sensitivity to those they love, and (with an effort) suppress this humanity when called upon to do so in furtherance of their political ideals.

The raw acting draws out just how ordinary the protagonists are: these are ordinary people like you and me, caught up in conflict. The only aspect I found lacking in the movie was a lack of depth in the characterization... at least, much was left to be assumed by us as an audience. The Brits are unremitting bastards - but what would four years in the trenches turn you or me into? The rebels are single-minded to the point of dehumanising themselves and their cause - but how would we be in the face of such oppression? The Free State forces hang in the balance and urge compromise - but are they right in their view that the slaughter must be brought to an end by even more slaughter? The film asks these questions, but does not fully answer them. Perhaps we the audience are supposed to do that.

This powerful story left me full of desolation at the tragedy and waste of conflict. Whether in Ireland, Palestine, Chechniya or elsewhere, at the end of the day no-one wins. Everyone loses.

Watch this movie and then examine your own beliefs. How far would you go? And for most of us, I guess we can be grateful that we will never have to ask ourselves those questions for real.

I think Plod has said all i wanted to say on this film , what we all must remember and feel is , how would you feel now if an invading uninvited force entered your town , city or Country, behaving like the Black and Tans did,i certainly would fight .Therefore only in film will the behaviour of men like these be exposed , as we know the Goverments of such wrong doers never will let the truth be told. It is wise to look forward but also unwise to forget the past .As An Irishman in Northern Ireland the end to all problems is far away when only last week the Orange Order had its yearly Black Hats March , i wonder if these marching remembered Croke Park 1920

Us horrible Brits beating the what's it out of poor, downtrodden Irish folk. Every Brit is a rotter, every Irishman and woman a hero.

The Wind that shakes the Barley is one of the best films I have seen this year.

Ken Loach, I felt took a gamble telling this story in an "anti British" way. Cillian Murphy is perfectly cast in the lead role and the support is good. All in all the film is unflinching and uncompromising, especially showing the sadistic and barbaric measures taken by the British army.

I reckon anyone who enjoyed Michael Collins will love this

I am sure there are a number of details within this film that may not be completely accurate but the film does communicate well the difficulties for families within this period.

I came to this film with some sense of the controversy which had surrounded it - but I'm usually one of those who celebrates the controversial. However, on this occasion I do think the bias of the film affected its artistic effectiveness.

Loach takes the premise that the British involvement in Ireland post-WWI was negative, the behaviour of the British army deplorable. Few would argue with that. The film basically hammers this premise into the viewer for its entirety - often, it has to be said, with beautiful visuals and fine performances. The opportunity for depth or exploration is lost, though: the British are, without exception, portrayed as foul-mouthed psychopaths hungry for Irish blood. Any debate regarding the morality of political murder is lost - as how, Loach tells us, can it be a crime to rid the world of such sub-humans? Comparisons with Paul Greengrass's brilliant Bloody Sunday are interesting. Greengrass showed how a mixture of mutual distrust, confusion and ignorance led, inevitably, to an appalling situation - the ultimate effect being deeply tragic and sensitive to the complexities of the situation. Loach reduces things to the black and white - and, bizarrely, has more in common with the English as Nazi positions of Mel Gibson's The Patriot and Braveheart. There's some irony that the violent working-class squaddies he exterminates throughout the film are drawn from the communities he portrays with such sensitivity elsewhere in his films.

I've given the film 3 stars as it certainly provoked me - and that has to be a good things. I also had the strong impression I was being asked to see events as an allegory for Iraq. But, ultimately, the missed opportunity of this film is that Loach falls into the trap of simplistically demonising a perceived political enemy in order to justify their slaughter - and he seems to lack the empathy needed to see that this as one of the key reflexes defining the bloodshed of recent Irish history.

A powerful film portraying the the wrong on both sides. Uncomfortable film to watch at times, as it was difficult to decide who was mainly responsible for the split.

I wasn't overly struck by this. It has a pretentiousness about it that irked me. I see it theme and it tries very hard but not as brilliant as it could have been. Performances are great I recommend it is seen but do not expect classic cinema despite its wrappings.

The one bad point I found with this film was the sound and could hardly make out what they were saying with the accents, which were authentic, but too softly and quickly spoken to get attuned to.. So many films nowadays have this problem. Either loads of music and noise going on in the background and actors speaking in low voices! Apart from this point it was a gripping, historical film, and highlighted some historical, political situations that were totally unknown to me. Well worth a watch.

For anyone who has ever wanted to know about Ireland in the 1920s this is your movie. It's about Englands attempt to subjugate the Irish to no avail but how the Irish end up fighting one another when they don't get the full 32 counties back..simplistic way of putting it but the movie tries to fill in a lot of history in a very short time......excellent acting by Cillian Murphy and Padraic Delaney..amazing movie

Yes the lack of musical score is slightly disconcerting when you're used to the orchestra-score filled hollywood movies but I felt this made the viewer feel like they were more involved with the scene rather than being kept at a distance with a piece of emotive music. Also, the sound effects, while a bit too real sometimes and close to the bone, only added to the film and served as a reminder that what was being portrayed probably happened to someone at some point, grounding the film in reality and taking it another step away from the Hollywood blockbusters that have been revered for its realistic portrayal of a conflict situation. The film also gives a very different view of the IRA compared ot the one given by the media in recent years and is inspiring as a reminder of the importance of political action at a grass roots level. The only issue I had with the movie was that it ended too suddenly for me but considering the subject matter, a happy ending was never on the cards in the first place.

I thought that this was an excellent film. It was well directed and the look of the film reflected the time in which the story took place. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and recommend it as a good watch.

Telling the story of the War of Independence from an Irish view, it also focuses on the eternal issues of war - unnecessary suffering, innocent victims, men carrying out orders. It is sad and inspiring, but ultimately depressing. Snappy & fast paced, it covers a big history in a small area. Highly recommended.

Very well executed telling of a very devisive piece of all too recent history. It is dealt with in a very even handed manner; depicting clearly the brutality, confusion, suffering and conflicts of interest experienced by both (or should that read all) sides of the war. Brilliantly there is little attention given to events of the time in Dublin; obviously the characters we see hear news and updates of battles and victories/losses there but these serve to give a background and a timeline to what we are focussing on. The film centres around the boys, girls, men and women of a rural village in southern Ireland; showing us how aspiring professional young people (really how any of us) can become/be turned into guerilla warriors. All characters are perfectly underplayed to such an extent that you almost feel you really are watching a slice of history. This film should leave you wanting to go out and discover more about the true history of the Irish Republican Army; if it does not then I fear for your sanity!

An array of outstanding but understated performances , including that of Cillian Murphy in the lead role (se him also on form in 'Breakfast on Pluto'),spectacular scenery coupled with an unashamedly pro Irish viewpoint and you have a recipe for an enlightening and extremely moving film. Set in Ireland in the 1920s , it follows an IRA troupe's struggle against the oppression of the British army and how the personal and political needs of the individual cause agonising conflict.In a world where media give us only one viewpoint, this should be compulsory viewing.

This is a brilliant true to life film about the Irish 'troubles'. I lived on THE Antrim Road in Belfast for a while and this is the only film I have seen that has managed to portray that simmering and bubbling that was just below the surface. If you only watch one film in your entire life maybe this should be it.

One needs to know a bit of the history to fully enjoy. Heavy going in places. Quite emotional. Well acted.

Shot in the very usual Ken Loach off non-scripted dialogue, it is an interesting take on a violent period of Irish history. The potrayal of the British Army is rather one dimensional in the film perhaps but ,and let's be honest here, they really didn't operate an effective 'hearts and minds' operation during the conflict (especially the awful Black and Tans). The film probably portrays the British soldiers in a way the local irish population saw them at the time. It was good to see though that Loach, going against the 'Braveheart' type plot, of continuing the story of how Ireland descended into civil war. The stubborn idealist on one side, refusing to give up their guns while pragmatic free-staters resorted to using British tactics to fight back. But the film in essesence, isn't about Ireland but a message about what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan.

powerful story about the troubles in ireland and how it split a family, enjoyed the film

Before watching this film I didn't really understand the IRA. If the British acted in the manner portrayed in this film then we britons should be ashamed of the actions of our forefathers; it's always interesting to hear the other side of the story. Quite horrific in parts but extremely educational and gripping.

This film shows just a year or two from Ireland's sad and turbulent history. People should be reminded that 'the troubles' didn't just start in1969 but have fermented since 1169. This is by no means a purely anti-British romanticised pro-Irish republican film,it shows the horrors of both sides during the Irish struggle for independence. It highlights the true chilling face of imperialism and its impact on ordinary people.

Excellent portrayal of a very troubled time in irish history, The price of free choice comes at a very high cost. The delimma of the people caught up in this period, is not to be envied. The seemingly confused line between occupier, and resident, is very harrowing. I have had relatives, who lived and died during these times, and found this movie left a feeling of initial despair, and a glimmer of hope, for future generations. That today we can live and work , in close harmony togerther, through the free choice gained during this troubled era.

What a good, historic film this is. It pulls no punches but I felt that it was sketchy in explaining the plight of the poor ijn both Ireland and England in those times. It did punctuate the brutality of the Black & Tans which was very real and unforgivable, not just the Black and Tans, primarily that and subsequent British governments. The young actors played their parts excellently and with feeling. Ken Loach did good here.

A good history lesson even though it was extremely cruel and sometimes hard to watch. It's amazing what human kind has done to itself let alone its own flesh and blood. Not one to watch if you want to have a laugh and a giggie. Good acting though.

This is obviously a brilliant film, great photography, sense of place, and terribly real. The violence was so realistic that I could not watch after the first 20 minutes. An important film and totally gripping. If you are not as squeamish as me I would recommend this wholeheartedly.

Good movie but I missed bits of it as it was too voilent for me to watch in parts......

A very good film had trouble understanding the irish talking thank goodness for subtitles

Such a good Irelands history, I don't really know (and still don't) about what happened is happening in Ireland but this film is a start.

Once I had my ear tuned into the accent I was engrossed and swept away. The conviction of the characters is believable and compelling. Its a must see but with a clear and empathic head on.

We both really enjoyed this film. we have known little about how the troubles in Ireland started and have seen things from a different perspective having watched this film. Well worth the two hours, we didnt notice the length till it had finished, absolutely absorbing.

this was such a good film I watched it twice. The story was very moving, if a bit violent, but that was in keeping with the times it was meant to be representing. I didn't know the story so had no prejudice or preconception or inkling of who ro what would happen...a tear jerker...but very good.

A very good depiction of post famine pre republic Ireland. The film showed, very well how the the common enemy,the british, divided the irish into the two camps that to some extent survive to this day. There were lovely shots of southern irish countryside and realistc feeling of life for the rural poor at the time. One understood why poeple felt the desire to get rid of the brits. Strong performances from all the cast which led to very good viewing. Enjoy is not really the right word but it certainly made one think.

wonderful though unremittingly grim - too violent for my taste

For the people who don't know much about the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) and the Irish Civil War (1922–1923) it gives you a lot of insight of what was going on in that time. There are a lot of tragic scenes in the film, ones that you could find in most other civil war films. I'm glad I watched it.

A bit biased against the Brits ( not) So canted to one view it falls flat. Some scenes were the weakest I`ve witnessed in modern films a case in point is the final one , very wooden. Just not a very good film really from any angle .

hubby watched this thought it was rather good

only couldn't watch the nails being pulled off :::::::::S

Horrific and shocking violence. Just hope it's not historically correct!

There are a couple of genuinely disturbing and thought provoking moments here but generally no surprises for someone who knows a bit about the time. I'm surprised at how little people in the U.K. know of this period so it's worth a look for that reason alone. As entertainment it really is quite rewarding and evocative of the time. Easier viewing if you're not politically partisan but otherwise you'll possibly find it a bit clichéd. That said, just because the characters are somewhat stereotyped doesn't mean they're inaccurately portrayed. I'm often surprised just how often people live up to their stereotype.

This was an alright film to watch but nothing to shout about. I was a bit disappointed.

The acting is superb and the story moves along at quite a pace. It is very realistic and harrowing at times. I found it relentlessly depressing for a saturday night movie. You need to be in the right frame of mind to watch it.

Thoroughly recommended film.

I was so glad when this film ended. I hired it on the basis that it's one of those 'must sees' that I had missed out on. Yes, it's a poinient tale, but it's riddled with holes and oh so slow. Very disappointing! I sat there for half of the film wishing it to end, and the other half thinking of better things I could be doing with my time. Unless you're personally interested in the subject matter I wouldn't bother with this.

I was looking forward to seeing this film, but it did absolutely nothing for me. I thought the acting was poor and just made me want to grab the remote and fast forward. However I think you really have to be in the mood to watch this film, it is one to concentrate on. Even that said I was dissapointed.

A very good film about the the bad old days during the Tan war in Ireland, which led directly to the withdrawal of the British army from the South of Ireland, and their total capitulation to the Protestants in the North to divide the country and sow the seeds of the future Troubles.

Powerful film with disturbing scenes which give a real insight into the Irish problems and the birth of the IRA.

Yet another movie re the troubles in Ireland but this is a little better than some , makes you think of the suffering the people went through, gets a little bit repetitive but watchable

A great portrayal of the time of the formation of the Irish Free State. Portrays the conflicts within the Irish as well as that between the British and the Irish. If you wonder why the Catholics hate the British army - especially the Scots - then watch this film. There is violence - but then this was a time of violence. There is also drama and excellent dialogue.

THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY IS AN EMOTIONAL STORY OF OPPRESION, BROTHERHOOD AND A FIGHT FOR FREEDOM. IT IS NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED AND CONTAINS BRUTAL, SADISTIC VIOLENCE [I HAD TO SKIP THE APPUALING TORTURE SCENE]. HOWEVER I CANNOT SAY THE VIOLENCE IS FREQUENT THE FILM MAINLY FOCUSES ON THE POLITICAL DIOLOGE THAN THE BONE CRUNCHING VIOLENCE. IT FOLLOWS DAMIEN AND HIS BROTHER TEDDY JOINING THE IRA BUT EVENTUALLY THEY FIND THEMSELVES ON OPPOSITE SIDES AND MUST CHOOSE BEWTWEEN THIER BROTHER OR THIER COUNTRY.THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY IS A BRILLIANT AND EMOTIONAL FILM AND IS HIGHLY RECOMENDED

Incredibly powerful and brutally honest story of the rise of the IRA and its effect on the country. Wether you know the history or not, this is a must-see.

I will watch this over and over again!! It is one of the best films I have seen for a while and certainly the first one that has ever moved me. It portrays a real, true-to-life picture of what it was like to live in Ireland in 1920. The characters were real - just ordinary men, not soldiers. The courage and the hardships and the brutal treatment and the betrayal - it is all there in vivid detail and not glossed over as it would be in some films. Even if this is not your normal cup of tea it is well worth the watching.

I usually dislike films containing a lot of violence but because the violence was part of the true story I was able to watch it and just dispair at man's inhumanity to man. The film was gripping,informative and atmospheric. It's made me want to find out more about the background to the Irish 'Troubles' and to that end I'm off to the library now.

Be prepared for some seriously violent scenes. The soundtrack is such that if your ear is not tuned to the thick Irish brogue, subtitles are strongly recommended. Otherwise a very moving fim.

A truly awesome film, depicting the cause/causes that started the frightning start of the problems in Ireland, caused not just by the IRA, but also by the greedy English land owners, and how these problems have caused the many wasteful loss of lives on both sides, THEN AND EVEN NOW. This film is so well worth watching...

Heavy going and quite harrowing in places. It reflected many injustices but did not give a balance to the whole Irish situation. The characters were rather 2 D.

very very moving and fast paced and real but very very bloody and gorey and REAL! VERY well done and you really felt that you were there, filmed in the perfect locations and brilliant acting....accents very strong, takes some getting used to, but made it all the more believable and heart rending........

In 'The Wind that Shakes the Barley', Loach is continuing along similar themes he worked out in 1995s 'Land and Freedom', that at the dawn of revolution fractions are created between those who merely want 'to change the flag' but keep things the same, and those who want to revolutionise property laws. The film is more an exploration of this theme which uses Irish history, and less a comprehensive lesson in Irish history. Yes, as some of the negative criticism has testified to, the British are portrayed as manic, torturous brutes - but then no doubt they were - although surely not absolutely as a rule - but then why do we need 'good' British characters for to make ourselves feel better, so we can say 'oh we weren't all bad'. Get a life.

Ken Loach makes no effort to hide his partisanship with the republican struggle in Ireland. Which is fair enough, but it does produce some major character stereotyping. The Brits are without exception homicidal psychopaths. The Irish youth have prelapsarian hurling matches in emerald countryside. But undeniably powerful and even moving, if you do not mind being manipulated in a good cause.

Maybe would come over better on tv as separate episodes. Good acting but seemed a bit cliched at times. The story is too important to be ignored though.

I thought this was a great film but the irish accents were hard to make out at times and I live in Ireland. It was thought provoking and explained the events of that period well.

The tragedy of internecine strife makes us want to ask 'Was it all worth it/'

Oh, this was good - harrowing, enlightening, and full of passion! Thoroughly enjoyed it, but wouldn't suggest watching it unless you're feeling good....it certainly challenges everything we know about the human pysche, and our motivations for doing things. I could see exactly how the mess with the IRA came about, and it helps understand all sides of that very bloody war.

This film had potential - it had some good potential
actors and film sets but just seemed to have no direction quite literally. It was a disappointment due to the poor character development and really did not seem to have a story line other than the glaringly obvious story about the IRA. Gave up watching and went to bed!

This isn't a movie for the faint hearted. Ken Loach directs another typically moving and bleak story set in 1920's Ireland. You really need tobe in the mood for this one, not one for a romantic night in. prepare to be challenged, angered and disgusted in equal measure.

It makes me embarrassed to be English at times. Part of this film is excrutiating- I had to fast forward through some of the torture scenes but it captures the atmosphere of injustice extremely well. This does not make for comfortable viewing but it paints an interesting picture

A masterpiece, an education, beautiful and tragic as the unfinished story of Northern Ireland itself. Some of the most powerful moments were found in the most unexpected of places. Loache's film is about a people, an occupied country and a need for freedom....but it's also about the origins of scars that can never quite 'heal' in a life time......and should never be allowed to. I knew the film would be heavy, and I knew it would cut deep....Watching it over 3 nights, I just never thought it would speak to me so, leaving me lost for words.

A stunning piece of drama, which captures the mood of the times supremely. Whether for the beautiful Irish vistas or the tragic storyline, this is a film which is guaranteed to provoke an intense emotional response.

Has made me determined to swot up on this period in modern history as my mum was Irish and left there in the late 1930s. The film vividly portrays the huge poverty and political struggle that the country was facing. I enjoyed the narrative style (was the dialogue improvised?) My only criticism is that the portrayal of the English was overly simplistic and stereotypical.

obviously a serious topic but the film was just too serious for us,not really sat evening entertainment

This film was a real disappointment, the language was disgusting from the start, definately not a family viewing film. We only watched approx 10 minutes, a complete waste of time.

This film is an excellent portrayal of the torment, passion, idealism and sheer brutality of those struggling with the political dilemmas of the day. A little romanticised in a couple of places, eg the training sessions (you half expect Michael Caine to appear) and the singing while on the march in the fog (suicidal from a soldier's point of view I would have thought), but overall it is a gripping and compelling tale that challenges the English account of the time. The final scenes particularly serve as an allegory for what this generation has witnessed in the Troubles in the North, Afghanistan, Iraq and wherever bigotry and bloody-mindedness prevail.

Watched most of the film but switched it off after 1h40m. It seamed to drag after a while and not much seamed to happen. Took a while to get into the main story base but got boring...

Having just recently seen this film I was impressed both by the cinematography, the sense of period and how idealism and a cause can suck you in ever deeper until your world view is only seen through that prism. Cillian Murphy gives a good account as the reluctant doctor who came to feel that he had no option but to fight the British and once he had stepped over the mark by killing a British official and an Irish boy who had grassed him, his brother and crew up then he knew he was totally committed and nothing would waver him from the cause. Ken Loach’s direction gets the most out of his actors - without languishing forever on Cillian Murphy’s hypnotic blue eyes, which are barely noticed here unlike most films he is in - and he tries to tell the story from an Irish republican perspective. The beginning of the film shows the reluctance and difficulties of fighting against overwhelming force and the effort of will it requires of young men to fight back with the odds stacked against them. Loach sympathises with the origins of the grievances but shows how groups that come together with an aim to defeat a common enemy fracture, fall apart and reveal their hidden agendas after that enemy has gone. The more radical IRA members of this period were at best died in the wool socialists and at worst out and out communists. The more pragmatic just wanted the British out of Ireland and once agreement was reached between the British and Irish Parliament accepted this result. Others had a purer doctrine and wanted to fight on. Inevitably they fight among themselves and end up murdering each other, brother killing brother, though the British have long gone and moved north. The acting by the two leads was excellent and the overall pace of the film acceptable but it sagged a bit about two thirds of the way through before picking up towards the end. Some tighter editing would have been justified. .However, it is a good film and well worth watching.

Quite an 'interesting' film this one. However it doesnt so much 'stray' from the truth as 'run a marathon' from it. A highly politicalised view of a troubled period of Irish/British history. I missed it at the cinema when it was released...I also missed all the pop-corn thrown at the screen & the punch ups which came afterwards. Its still worth watching though. Then go & get yourself a book about what really haappened!!!

Other reviews have told of the content of this film. Emotionally it is mostly a painful watch, brutal violence,psychologically wracking decisions that are faced by the protagonists and other characters,love, brotherhood, fiathfulness to friends and country, the move from being and ordinary person with future ambitions to someone who is capable of murdering former friends and neigbours, are played out realistically and in true (believable!!)Loach style. I was interested in the historical content which was informative and left me with more sympathy for the troubled Ireland, and a deeper feel for what underpins more historically recent events.

This films shows these issues from a differant perspective and how the English treated the Irish in the 20's. Can be horrific with regard to treatment of the Irish and how discriminatory the English were.

Best film I have seen in a long time.

As an Englishman I have always found the history of the troubles in Ireland slightly confusing.I hoped that this film might relieve me of my ignorance but sadly it doesn't.I agree with the other reviews that state this is a biased account of what was going on at the time. The British soldiers are all depicted as savage animals bar one 'defector'.Gratuous violence(torture)is relied upon to drag a story from the somewhat limited plot. All quite well acted but one is left feeling a bit cheated and dissapointed. Not recommended as an entertaining historical drama and more of an IRA action movie.

Despite having Irish heritage myself, nothing has quite made me realise the true sense of Ireland's struggle than this film. Some Irish still harbour a mild feeling of disappointment toward the English even now, and this film clearly shows why. So in this respect, whilst the other reviewer accuses the film of bias, it was about time this film was made and I agree with it! If you liked this film, rent Michael Collins also. ps Absolutely convincing performance by Cillian Murphy - well done!

This is a moving and emotional drama, the best film I have seen in some time. Cillian Murphy is excellent as usual.

Brilliant, film, great story, basically it did happen like that, a history and politics lesson whilst never being boring, EPIC

A great film that touches your very soal

Well worth watching. Great period setting. Brilliant director. However if you are not from the South of Ireland you will need to use the subtitles. Do not be put off by this.

This and the 'Michael Collins' film should be watched by all those who wonder why the Irish feel like they do about the English! Both very disturbing but reflecting the reality of past life in Ireland - visiting the real Ireland (not a day in Dublin)reinforces what the people went through!If you want to know their history - WATCH THEM BOTH!

What a film, hooks you in from the begining, realy easy to watch and a must for anyone

Created from an Irish Republican point of view, as one would expect from Ken Loach. At first I found the sound track difficult and the dialogue hard to fathom, but my ear tuned in as the film progressed. I thought the film was good at showing that people on the republican side were not necessarily unified about what they felt. It gave a chilling portrayal of how the need to stick together and carry out orders made people put aside their finer feelings and the brutalisation that this brings. I loved the backgrouond of Irish scenery.

This is a powerful drama sensitively narrated on the troubles in Ireland depicting families split not by ruthless english landlords but ultimately by mans ambition.This is no history lesson but a classy production which is very watchable. The story has the usual love interest so if the agony and the extacy is what you crave then this one's for you.

Though perhaps not as heavy as I would have expected from Loach, TWTSTB has good direction and a stirling lead in the ever impressive Murphy. If allowed it leads to the question what would any of us do in this situation, and why does the belief in being right lead to so much that is wrong.

I agree that this film is harrowing and I would also describe it as 'worthy'. However, at the end I was left with a feeling that anyone with little knowledge of the complications of Irish history would be very confused. There wasn't much explanation of the difference between this band of men and the I.R.A. I also agree that at times it was very difficult to understand the speech and subtitles would have been good. But it's merit is in showing the brutalisation of a good man, with good intentions, who wanted to be a doctor and do good for people but who ended up shooting people he had grown up with and then being shot by the orders of his own brother. We cannot always defend the British attitude in ireland by describing the real brutality shown in this film as stereotyping. It happened. The torture, the imprisonment, the executions, the evictions, the overwhelming subjucation of poor Irish people - not only by the British but by the landowners and the Roman Catholic church. That they have managed to come through it as a warm, welcoming, cheerful people is a tribute to them (that's the impression I got when I visited Ireland)

Moving drama seen from the perspective of a reluctant Irish freedom fighter. Filmed with a stark realism of the brutality and killing.

Very good drama depicting the Irish uprising in the early 20th centuary. I found the account of the war very balanced and informative.

Showed very graphically the terrible time the british seemed to give the irish back in 1920's. Also how long term friends can become parted even after the cease fire. I found it very moving, and a frightening depiction back then. Great acting throughout whole film.

I read a quote a few weeks ago 'The Irish never forget their history; but the English never learnt it'. I am English but found this film powerful, emotional and enthralling. As an englishman I don't know if it is true, partly true or what - but a thought provoking film that makes you want to scream at the people to 'stop - sort it out!'. Enjoy

A great true story, be it a scaled down version of the brutaility the English sjowed in Ireland during the 1919 - 1920 uprising. This film will not apeal to everyone - but is definately worth a look if you are interested in History.

good film about Irish history, spoilt a bit by the love story sub-plot.

As a movie I have spent far worse two hours, I kind of guessed the policatal slant it would take, being familiar with Ken Loach. Where as the British are portrayed as a cross between Gengis Kahn, Atiila The Hun and the Vikings, the Irish republicans are of course all reasonable and honourable men forced into a situation. Its a bit ironic I watched this on the day Mr Paisley and Mr Adams have come to some 'arrangement'. The politics of Northern Ireland changed in no small way due to events in the US in 2001. It could no longer be acceptable for anyone in the US to fund a terrorist organisation. Today it can be viewed as a reasonable is somewhat one sided version of Irish history. Had this been made pre 2001, the it would have been a dangerous piece of film making. I could just imagine the misguided Americans with their romatic view of Ireland being sucked in. Fortunately the politics of today has changed that, hopefully for good.

Ken Loach excels himself, the characters are wonderful, the scenery and photography are wonderful. Gives a good historial perspective to todays toubles, beautifully acted, nail biting moments. A thought provoking glimpse at times past ,

Great film, very atmospheric and gets to the heart of the characters and how events shape them. A little too rushed at the end though.

Ken Loach's film about the beginnings of the IRA and the brutal supression of the Irish by the Black and Tans is an extremely well crafted and well acted movie. The film doesn't pull any punches and shows how the British government badly treated the Irish people and this film is cetainly slanted in the Irish viewpoint but that's Loach all over, never one to duck out of tough stories.

A very sad but true story line. Watch this film to learn about Irish history and it will help you to understand their plight. Definately highly recommended from myself.

A very moving tribute to the heroes of the Irish rebellion against English landlords, even if it was a very one sided representation of their cruelty. It showed well how revolutionary fury in the end consumes its own proponents and leaders. History is littered with examples of glorious revolutions such as this against the ruling classes only for the new ruling classes to vent their egotistical idealism, bloodlust, & obsessive pedantry on the people anew.

Enjoy is the wrong word considering the subject, but this was a great film. Good acting, (although a bit strange seeing Cillian Murphy in this role just after watching him in Breakfast on Pluto), and it makes you realise how utterly pointless war is!

Absolutely worth seeing, regardless of your political views.

What a great film! Mad e me realise just how evil the black and tans were.

I was not really expecting to enjoy this but I did. Enjoy might be the wrong word actually because it was utterly harrowing and I spent most of the film with either my hand over my mouth, shouting at the TV or in floods of tears. Excellent piece of work.

Haunting, and frighteningly realistic and interesting insight to the early parts of the troubles in Ireland. I was heavily disturbed but somehow the references to socialism slightly wound me up. Not that they are necessarily wrong but they were under analysed and seemed more like a signature from Loach than a proper insight to the politics and discussions at the time.

A wonderfully powerful story which had me in bits at the end when one brother was pitted against another. For someone who knew nothing about the Easter Uprising this was informative and also real entertainment. Highly recommended!

Enjoyed this film very much, found some scenes very harrowing, has made me want to read up on the history of the Irish troubles, thought the acting great, wish I had seen it at the cinema

Ken Loach revisits some of the territory he explored in Land and Freedom in this searing account of the Irish civil war. Right from the start, he takes us by the throat with scenes of appalling brutality as the British Army terrorise the local population, and he shows brilliantly how the freedom fighters are trapped by pride, anger and sacrifice as they continue the tragic fight against their own people. Some of the scenes are hard to watch. An austere and passionate film, with moments of elegiac beauty, equal in its power to Pontecorvo's The Battle of Algiers.

i found this film better than i had thought, it explained a lot about the factions involved at the time. good film

A thoughtful well made British film that really makes you think about the bias propoganda us English have been fed about the conflict in Ireland.

Maybe as close to the truth as youll get of the times back then on screen!! Nothing spectacular about the film.. Some people have called it British bashing but its not telling any lies..Is it..

Super film with acting of the highest calibre. This film is an excellent portrayal of life in Ireland both before and after the signing of the treaty. The film doesn't pull it's punches and as a result is extremely gripping. Great ending too (plotwise).

‘The Wind that Shakes the Barley’ has delicious echoes of Loach’s wonderful ‘Land and Freedom’, the attention to period detail producing a visually stunning piece of work. The subject matter this time however, is painfully close to home and whether one is Irish or British, the portrayal of events in this very dark and yet all too recent part of our history will I suspect be a little too uncomfortable for many to view without feeling judged. An American audience will perhaps have enough distance to enjoy the film more. Uncomfortable viewing or not there is no denying the richness of the visuals and the poignant realism of the characterisations.

I really enjoyed this film! It is a good story, set in a beautiful backdrop, and a great way to spend an afternoon!!! Cillian Murphy is superb in this, and the ending, although abrupt, is excellently done! It really made me think about what would happen, should i be in the same situation. If in doubt, rent it, then enjoy!

Despite the accolades this award winning film received I found it boring to say the least and gave up with it before it ended. I would imagine only a student of British political history would enjoy the ponderous production. It was a film that promised so much but delivered little as entertainment.

Ireland is so green and the Irish are so straight up. The English soldiers are so brutal the film is hardly bearable but it is so beautiful and true. The Free State and the civil war are set up so truly as such an English con they too are hard to bear. A film of revolutionary intesity which demands regime change all over the world.

a well thinking film but sometimes appeared a bit amaturish when there was pauses in lines by a couple of characters other than that it showed once again how any sort of war is tragic also leaves you thinking who is the real enemy

Good film, full of action, my only criticism is that a lot of the dialogue is hard to decipher, the Irish accents are tricky but a lot of muttering as well. Would have been better, and easier to follow, if the actors had spoken up!

A great film that depicts the harrowing rape of Ireland by the British,and the desperate reaction of the common man to unite against the empire obsessed British. The film doesn't glorify war but shows the tragic results of war, divide and social circumstances of the time. A film well worth watching,and can be compared to the Mel Gibson film the patriot were once again the British think its their divine right to invade and rule another country by terror and fear. It will bring a tear to your eye..

You a left not really understanding the political situation that causes the drama of the film. Unclear.

What marred this film for me was the poor diction - yes the accents were strong - but given that most of us can understand an Irish brogue the sound quality was awful. Often we were straining to understand the dialogue. The main character showed no depth - we were left to assume why he was so passionate - nothing in the story gave a true indication of his strength of characeter. The film tried too hard - a more simplistic approach would have gained many more viewers.

A FILM FOR THOSE WHO NO THERE HISTORY&NOT FOR ONES WHO THINK THEY NO!!!...DEEP THOUGHT OUT FILM&SPOT ON TO THE WAY LIFE WAS LIKE WAY BACK...WORTH A LOOK...

But a fantastic movie with a sad realistic ending.

When Loach sticks to industrial relations he's reasonably innocuous and it's possible to laugh at the 'set 'em up and knock 'em down' style in which the noble worker is victimised by the evil bloated capitalist boss etc. Sadly when these crude simplifications are superimposed on Irish history we end up with an IRA propaganda piece. It would be halfway plausible if the relentless effing and blinding of the indisciplined British squaddies was even accurate to the vernacular of the day. Watch the Americans lap up this travesty and further line the coffers of the terrorists

This film assumes to much knowledge of Irish history. The dialogue is difficult to hear and understand and there is precious little plot or character development. It's also by its nature quite violent.

I would have given this film 5 except that the events were portrayed in such a brutal way that we couldn't stomach more than about 30 minutes of it. The accents were so thick that we couldn't really understand the subtleties and nuances of the dialogue - I can often understand the French used in French films with subtitles and feel this should have had a subtitle option. I think I'd rather read about the struggles and listen to The Wolfetones than see this brutality on the screen. Sorry as I know it should have been good and maybe its my fault I couldn't cope with it!

The content and history of this film is very interesting - unfortuntely the irish accents are very strong and you have to listen and concentrate so it makes it very hard going.

This film started with whirlwind action similar to a tornado, but interest quickly died, film content left you feeling you were becalmed in southern ocean awaiting the end with enthusiasm.

This is the biggest load of rubbish I have seen in ages. If you want to watch something about the Irish problem get Micheal Collins, this is utter guff!!!!!

Perhaps I was expecting too much but this film left me feeling very disappointed. As one reviewer has already mentioned, the conversation between the characters is very hard to follow.

I don't know how historically accurate the film is, but it seems to be an excuse for another British bashing! I can't believe in these movies, that everyone was this cruel and hate filled.

Fair enough there are some hot men in this film, although I had no idea what they were saying, I think it was something along the lines that the Irish are better than the English. Also it could have done without shoe-horning a love story in there for the ladies.

Loach yet again proves he is a no hoper director, the film carries so many untruths from both sides of the conflict. Yet again he uses political emotions to highlight a rubbish film. If you need to know history read a book from Dublin. Mark this film as pure fiction and you might enjoy it. Doubt it !

cannot understand a word most of the time! switched it off after 30 minutes, nothing you havent seen before. bodyswerve this one!

this film is nothing short of IRA propoganda, no mention of the hundreds of loyalists murdered, just a story to try and get some backing for IRA Sinn Fien and an excuse for the ruthless murders carried out over the past 50 years throughout Ireland