Irish director/co-writer Mark O’Connor, along with co-writer Luke McQuillan, brings a tale about accountability and confronting one’s past with Amongst the Wolves. It is a harsh world, set in Dublin, with fleeting comforts.
The story mainly revolves around ex-soldier Danny (Luke McQuillan), a man who has been homeless since an unknown incident caused his wife Gill (Jade Jordan) to kick him out and battle over custody of their son Tadgh (Manco O’Connor). Life on the streets has been rough for Danny, and his only source of comfort comes from Kate (Louise Bourke), who works at the local homeless shelter. Looking for a place to sleep, Danny stumbles upon a campsite and is met at knife point by Will (Daniel Fee), a teenager who is in way over his head after a drug deal goes bad. He owes money to his boss, Power (Aiden Gillen). Will allows Danny to stay the night, and the next morning they come to know each other better. Danny agrees to help Will get out of Power’s debt, which proves to be more difficult than anticipate,d as it is demonstrated on multiple occasions that Power is not someone to be taken lightly.
Under firelight, Danny (Luke McQuillan) and Will (Daniel Fee) forge a fragile bond in the emotionally raw Irish drama Amongst the Wolves.
“Life on the streets has been rough for Danny…”
This is a story that starts in a dark place and ultimately gets darker. The moments where things may look hopeful or uplifting are fleeting. There is a significant amount of violence in this film. None of it is for the faint of heart. It is all depicted in a realistic way that may cause viewers to cringe or look away from the brutality. Gillien’s performance makes Power one of the more sinister and psychopathic villains to show up in quite some time. The opening and closing scenes that bookend the movie add a deeper psychological layer to the events seen in the movie. This indicates that these are the traumas that Danny is truly haunted by, as they repeat themselves in his mind obsessively.
The cinematography reflects the tone of the story well. Nothing seen on screen is incredibly vibrant, with the exception of some light sources at night. The score does an exceptional job using its simplicity to underline the emotion that a scene can evoke. The best example of this is when Power tells the story about his dog and the fear of gaining insight into the kind of man he truly is. The blood effects aren’t over the top, which is fitting for the world that the story takes place in. While this film is certainly not the most uplifting, Amongst the Wolves does provide satisfaction with the way things are wrapped up, which makes it worthwhile to experience more than once.
"…goes to a deeper psychological layer..."
