Review of What Richard Did (2012) by Richard S — 19 Jan 2017

Sharing the central character's name meant I needed to discover what Richard did and I'm glad I did because it was a very decent film. It's essentially about a young man living a privileged life in Dublin. Richard's parents have provided a comfortable life, he has a great group of friends, he is well liked and respected and he's just met the perfect girl. What follows is a story about the split decisions we make at the height of our emotions, and the consequences of this on the world around us and the people we love. I thought Jack Reynor was superb in the central role, a character desperately trying to keep up the facade that everyone has grown so used to while at the same time his world is crumbling around him.

Having previously directed Garage, and later, Room, the director is skilled at creating fragile worlds where emotional and moral conflicts are heightened.