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Calm with Horses

151 votes

In darkest rural Ireland, ex-boxer Douglas 'Arm' Armstrong has become the feared enforcer for the drug-dealing Devers family, whilst also trying to be a good father to his autistic five-year-old son, Jack. Torn between these two families, Arm's loyalties are truly tested when he is asked to kill for the first time.

Status: Released

Released Date: 2020-03-13

Runtime: 100 mins

Director: Nick Rowland

Writer: Joseph Murtagh

Spoken language: English

Genres: Crime, Drama

Original title: Calm with Horses

Production Companies: DMC Film, Film4 Productions, Element Pictures, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland

Production Countries: Ireland, United Kingdom

Cast

Barry Keoghan

Cosmo Jarvis

Niamh Algar

Ned Dennehy

David Wilmot

Simone Kirby

Anthony Welsh

Roisin O'Neill

Hazel Doupe

Toni O'Rourke

Liam Carney

Ryan McParland

Ally Ní Chiárain

Kiljan Moroney

Reviews

Geronimo1967

Ned Dennehy is one of those character actors who never really owns a film but always make quite an impression - especially if his part requires a degree of menacing unpleasantness. Well here he delivers that in spades as we follow the life of his enforcer “Arm” (Cosmo Jarvis). He has been instructed to deal with a former family affiliate who has raped one of his “Devers” family. Thing is, though, “Arm” is a violent man - a former boxer who is no stranger to prison - but he isn’t a killer. Indeed, he is determined to try avoid carrying out his instructions as well as to patch things up with his ex-wife - if only because he wants to spend more time with his gradually alienated autistic son “Jack” (the scene stealing (Kiljan Moroney). Egged on constantly by his brutal and manipulative puppet-master “Dympna” (Barry Keoghan), the young man starts to feel even more conflicted and suffers the consequences as he realises that loyalty counts for nothing unless it delivers unconditionally to a family of unforgiving thugs. Jarvis is on great form here too, as is Keoghan showing us his mastery of the flighty yet odious son of a family all too used to getting their way. The violence isn’t especially graphic, it’s more implied - and that’s quite effective in this rather powerful look at how rural life in Ireland might unfold amidst an almost Dickensian social structure. Original? Well no, the story isn’t especially new or innovative but it’s the characterisation of the torn man with the muscle who must find a new sort of courage if his life is ever to improve that stands out. It’s not an easy watch, but it’s bleakness and grittiness helps create something at times touchingly authentic.

2025-05-29

maketheSWITCH

'Calm with Horses' is definitely engrossing and heavy shit. There's some savage inner violence going on within the main character; the barbarity on the screen can't match the turmoil that's going on in his head. It's a strikingly accomplished portrait of a broken soul hauling himself back up from rock bottom. - Jake Watt Read Jake's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-calm-with-horses-a-savage-and-sensitive-irish-crime-drama

2020-12-05

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