Small things like these
(book and movie review)
One must realise that Claire Keegan is a short story writer. Which means that every word involves careful attention to detail. Whether it's Foster, or So late in the day or even her short story Antarctica, you will need to pick through the at time hidden details to discern the meaning of the story.
Which is why the movie Small Things Like These based on her novella is so powerful. Every detail matters. Although you have to be patient and let the story take its course.
Bill Furlong is a coal and wood provider in a small Irish town. And as the story unfolds, he seems to be dealing with an increasing number of knowns and unknowns. The knowns include a quiet but growing dissatisfaction with his life. The unknowns are the calls from the past that affect him more than they should. And he becomes gradually more troubled. Until he makes a life changing choice.
Whether its the extra Christmas gift Furlong receives, or the way his wife seems to read his moods, this man is dealing with repressed issues. And we start to unravel his story through a serious of flashbacks which are triggered by incidents in his life.
He in fact is an orphan whose mother died suddenly. Her employer took young Bill on as her own. With the support of her employee Neil, Bill lives a quiet isolated eventless life. Or so he thought.
As Christmas approaches, and the winter closes, there is a rush for wood and coal. Meaning Bill is working longer and longer hours. And it is not until he visits the Catholic Convent : a building whose occupants physically and spiritually dominate this town, that he realises something is very wrong. There he encounters a locked out orphan who importunes him to help her take her own life. He refuses and confesses the situation to his wife. She advises him not to take this on.
And despite the Christmas bribe from the nuns to keep quiet, he meets the orphan again. Who is again locked out. At that time, Ireland's Catholic convents took in orphans and single mothers as free laundry labour. And sadly many of these girls were mistreated. And sadly many died. We only find this out at the end of the movie and the book.
But gradually as the story unravels, this orphan's situation becomes personal.
Cillian Murphy plays this role in such an understated way, that it is too late that you realise that he is about to prevent a generational tragedy recurring. And he is about to pay a great price to do so. Which is implied in the final scenes. But in truth someone must choose this path. Otherwise we are all lost forever.
This is a brilliantly crafted movie that deserves to be seen again and again. And the book is masterful.