Bring Them Down

"Love thy neighbor as thyself" is one of the oldest and simplest calls for empathy and kindness that exists, but for as long as that statement has been around, it's proven to be a very difficult thing for humanity to take to heart. Humans have always coveted what belongs to someone else, and the desire for those things -- money, land, possessions -- has served as the excuse to start just about every war that has been fought throughout history. For all the gains and spoils earned in those wars, what has been lost is arguably much greater, including an erosion of morality and compassion for our fellow neighbors.

Writer/director Christopher Andrews boils these concepts down to their simplest form in his assured debut film "Bring Them Down," telling a story of two neighboring Irish shepherding families that nervously coexist until jealousy turns into an escalating war of vengeful violence. It's a relentlessly bleak parable as old as time, as both sides increase the level of cruelty until all human decency is lost, and the consequences are bloody and disastrous. It may not be the easiest or most enjoyable watch, but it's a grimly effective exploration of the root of most of our world's problems, with no easy answers in sight.

Michael (Christopher Abbott) lives with his wheelchair-bound father Ray in rural Ireland, and is the latest in a long line of family sheep herders watching over high-quality livestock. His father is cold towards him, mainly due to Michael causing a car crash that killed his mother and heavily wounded his girlfriend, Caroline (Nora-Jane Noone). Caroline now lives with Michael's neighbor and fellow shepherd Gary (Paul Ready) and their son Jack (Barry Keoghan). Gary and family are struggling financially, and after a storm destroys a bridge that links their house to the main road, things become increasingly desperate.

The story is initially told from Michael's perspective, painting him as the aggrieved party once Gary and Jack begin to steal rams from Michael's flock. Michael catches them in the act as they try to sell the rams at market, leading to an initial confrontation where Gary refuses to return the rams, and eventually tries to drive Michael off of the road. Things continue to escalate into some pretty disturbing acts of violence (mostly against animals, often in some truly unsettling scenes) until a point of no return is eventually reached.

The movie pulls a neat trick about halfway through, switching to Jack's perspective on the same events we've already seen, adding some perhaps more understandable context to their seemingly indefensible actions. Regardless, the only way the story can possibly end is through a climax of savage violence, as neither side chooses to back down or communicate. The ending is dark and sadly predictable, leaving you feeling pretty down on humanity as you exit the theater, wondering if this is just how we always have been and always will be.

Still, the story is tightly constructed and is a worthy retelling of a Biblically ancient premise. The movie is a small one, centered around only a few people in a quiet, rural setting, but is appropriately applicable on a larger, universal scale, providing a real weight to the simplicity on screen.

Abbott is exceptional as a quiet man trying to do better and manage his demons, but barely containing his grief and rage, threatening to explode if pushed even a little. His face does most of the work in the absence of words, communicating much with a glare or a twitch of the eye. Keoghan, mostly absent for the movie's first half, does well once the perspective swings his way, portraying a more childlike character that seems corrupted by his environment, too sensitive to survive in this world of toxic and brutish men.

"Bring Them Down" is a bleak, punishing experience that doesn't let up, making it hard to recommend or get excited about watching. But it's still a well-constructed, properly engaging thriller that has a lot to say about humanity, even if we already know or don't particularly want to hear it.