God's Creatures

Well-meaning but dourly rote...

[Mescal] and Watson are screen icons and we shouldn’t need reminding that while he’s in his prime, so is she.

Most remarkably, the film is the feature debut of two American directors, Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer, who bring a laser-sharp outsider’s perspective to well-trodden material.

It’s a tough watch, and a tense watch, but it’s powerfully affecting and plainly quality through and through. It asks: mothers will always instinctively protect their sons, but is that sometimes misguided?

The script, written by Shane Crowley and Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly, seeds tiny plot points that grow into pearls.

It’s bleak and understated, but strong performances and a thorny moral maze give this considerable power despite the gloomy skies.

Still, this is a moving and fiercely acted drama which, if not quite enjoyable to watch, is admirably assembled.

With excellent performances, remarkable direction, and a knack for addressing the nuances of its setup, it’s a gothic drama that’ll leave you taken in by its icy grip.

God’s Creatures dares to suggest that breaks from the system are the only effective treatment against repeat offenses. It’s about the harsh measures individuals must take to protect the delicate balance of their ecology.

A quietly gloomy story of modest people, but told with majesty.