Review of What Richard Did (2012) by Líam P — 23 Jan 2013

"What Richard Did" is an entertaining, engrossing drama, which I recommend to anyone. For once there is a look at family life in Ireland which isn't the typical "da yout of Oireland" examination of working class families struggling to survive. This unsettling and rewarding film looks instead at the comfortable middle classes and how a life of money, warm embraces and beach homes doesn't mean shielding from the unexpected shocks from real life.

I won't say what the "incident" is, but what happens as the central point of "What Richard Did" shakes the certainty within the family, putting friends and relatives against each other, cracking certainties into little pieces. The central performance is remarkable, - Jack Reynor has the look of a boy next door and carries the weight of his character's nightmare in his eyes as much as his voice. There is a single scene, between Richard and his father, which is so well executed that it stays with me still.

I absolutely recommend this film to anyone - it's a refreshing and rewarding examination of real life which will rest on the mind for a long time.