Ireland did not look like this less than a decade ago.
The sub Martin McDonagh attempts at black comedy skirt very lose to paddywhackery,which is outdated and whilst meant to provide relief from the grimness of the story actually belittles and demean the true stories that form the basis for this gothic thriller.
Whilst I understand the power of writing a genre piece to draw attention to an horrific and shameful chapter of Irish history to those outside of the Country this tome does not work,at all.
This is no fault of the cast who all acquit themselves well,if a little mannered at times,nor the directors,cinematographers and crew.
The show is beautifully shot,atmospheric and edited to reflect the fractured ature of both the tale and the main protagonists psyche.
It is however misconceived on a base level which,whilst I'm sure was well researched and guided by advisors,still rings of expoitation rather than illumination.
It desperately needed a southern Irish producer or director or even executive to glance across it during production and speak up,even country towns didn't look like the barren Northern Irish location.
Shops did not look like that,petrol stations definitely did not look like that and even a villages Garda station would have had proper computers and flatscreen monitors oh a d email,rather than printing out a cctv image.
Perhaps British television should look at how it views the Irish and address the blind spot they seem to have with their neighbouring ex colony in a similar way in which they have tried to be aware of unconscious racial bias.
The sub Martin McDonagh attempts at black comedy skirt very lose to paddywhackery,which is outdated and whilst meant to provide relief from the grimness of the story actually belittles and demean the true stories that form the basis for this gothic thriller.
Whilst I understand the power of writing a genre piece to draw attention to an horrific and shameful chapter of Irish history to those outside of the Country this tome does not work,at all.
This is no fault of the cast who all acquit themselves well,if a little mannered at times,nor the directors,cinematographers and crew.
The show is beautifully shot,atmospheric and edited to reflect the fractured ature of both the tale and the main protagonists psyche.
It is however misconceived on a base level which,whilst I'm sure was well researched and guided by advisors,still rings of expoitation rather than illumination.
It desperately needed a southern Irish producer or director or even executive to glance across it during production and speak up,even country towns didn't look like the barren Northern Irish location.
Shops did not look like that,petrol stations definitely did not look like that and even a villages Garda station would have had proper computers and flatscreen monitors oh a d email,rather than printing out a cctv image.
Perhaps British television should look at how it views the Irish and address the blind spot they seem to have with their neighbouring ex colony in a similar way in which they have tried to be aware of unconscious racial bias.