Bring Them Down is an Irish thriller that not only had its US premiere at Fantastic Fest, but it also won Best Picture at the festival as part of the main competition. This is the feature film debut for writer and director Chris Andrews. Bring Them Down follows two neighboring shepherding families in the Irish countryside. With financial and interpersonal issues flaring, the tensions between the families rise until they explode into violence.

The story that Andrews crafted with Bring Them Down is powerful, tense, and unexpectedly empathetic. The film begins by focusing on Michael, who runs the family business for his ailing father. Michael lost his mother in an unfortunate car accident and has been taking care of his father, the sheep, and the land ever since. While their sheep business does rather well, Michael is under great pressure to live up to his father’s expectations. When his already strained relationship with the neighboring farm only gets worse, especially as that family tests how far Michael can be pushed, audiences watch as Michael struggles between his desire to be a good person and his compulsion to be more like his father. While Bring Them Down already has a compelling premise, what makes it even more enthralling is the non-linear storytelling that allows Andrews to shift the focus from Michael to Jack, the only son from the neighboring family. This focus shift reveals how similar these two characters really are, despite being at different stages of their lives, constantly trying to be the men they think their fathers want them to be. It takes both men down sinister paths, often going past the point of no return. It’s a fascinating, heartbreaking story of cultural and familial expectations, inherited trauma, and the dangers of toxic masculinity.

Every single actor in Bring Them Down delivers breathtaking performances. Christopher Abbott (Possessor, It Comes at Night) stars as Michael. Abbott’s performance immediately creates a tense atmosphere, making it apparent Michael is always trying to remain stoic and calm, but the anger and violence buried within is always there. Not only is Abbott giving one of his best performances in this role, but he also gives audiences a surprisingly believable Irish accent. He even learned Irish Gaelic for this role. Barry Keoghan (Saltburn, The Killing of a Sacred Deer) plays Jack, the son from the rival shepherding family. Keoghan is fantastic at giving Jack a very young, headstrong, rebellious kind of persona. As we get to know the character more, we realize how naive Jack really is and how almost everything he does in the film he does because he believes it will save his parents’ marriage and the family business. Both Abbott and Keoghan are incredible actors, and Bring Them Down allows them to peel away the layers of these riveting characters. Other outstanding performances come from Colm Meaney (Con Air), Nora-Jane Noone (The Descent), and Paul Ready (The Terror).

A major success of Bring Them Down is in how the locations and editing, as well as other visuals, help to tell the story. As mentioned before, Andrews chose to unravel the plot in a non-linear format. It jumps through time and shows the same events from different perspectives, allowing the audience to gradually gain a better understanding of the situation, while also showcasing the similarities between the two main characters. Taking place almost entirely in rural farmland or inside the homes of these two characters, the setting adds beauty to the scenes, but that’s not all it does. The beauty of the place is marred by bloodshed, hatred, and violence. The editing and cinematography also plays into the locations. Often times the audience is shown certain events from the outside, through windows or hidden somewhere out of sight, adding to the sense that the audience is seeing something private. It adds to the feel of peaking into the personal lives of others, catching a glimpse of what they would prefer to stay hidden from the outside world. There are also a few scenes that involve practical effects that are very well done and realistic. However, as a word of warning to the more sensitive viewers, these effects mostly involve animals being harmed.

Bring Them Down is a suspenseful character study highlighting the generational trauma fathers bestow upon their sons. This is a powerful feature film debut for Andrews that will no doubt make people take notice of his future work. Not only is the story filled with anxiety-inducing suspense and complex characters, but the non-linear formatting allows for the audience to gain a deeper understand of both sides of this rivalry. With Abbott and Keoghan bringing these characters to life in a way that shows all their complexities, Bring Them Down is a true work of art.

OVERALL RATING: 8.5/10