Every so often, a movie comes along that lasts long after your first viewing. For me, that film is the directorial debut of Christopher Andrews, bring them down,
which premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The story tells of a war between neighboring families in a rural Irish town, where trauma, despair, and revenge are at the fore. Featuring an exceptional performance by Christopher Abbott and stunning cinematography from Nick Cooke, the film reveals the dark side of survival and proves your worth. Take them down it's 105 minutes of violence and misery, but it's fun to talk about, nonetheless.
Lowering them grabs your attention from the opening sequence
In Take them downIn the opening sequence, young Mikey (Abbott) drives through the winding roads of a wooded area in rural Ireland. After his mother Peggy (Susan Lynch) shares that she is going to leave his father Ray (Colm Meaney), Mike becomes angry and speeds off. Peggy and Mike's girlfriend Caroline (Grace Daly) begs him to slow down, but Mike is too angry to hear anything. This leads to a fatal accident that leaves her mother dead and Caroline scarred for life.
Years later, Michael takes care of his family's farm and takes care of sheep for a living. With his father now disabled, it's up to Michael to keep the family business running. Along the way, the elderly Caroline (Nora-Jane Noone) marries another sheep farmer, Gary (Paul Ready), and they train their son Jack (Barry Keoghan) to run the farm and become a shepherd. But when neighboring farms begin to compete for sales and livelihoods, things between the two families turn ugly, if not deadly.
While breathing, the collision of hope and sorrow makes one look amazing.
Andrews made an impressive directorial debut with Take them down. Being full of trauma, depression, and violence, it's the kind of trait I'll have for a long time. The script focuses on Michael's anger and sadness, as the memory of his mother's death lingers in his mind. Because of his constant guilt and anger, he cannot fathom a world where self-loathing and regret are not part of his daily routine. Through Abbott's Michael, we are taken on a journey of endless hatred and anger.
As the story progresses, we begin to see that Michael's anger is unjustified. His neighbors declare war on his family to become the best farmers in their small town. With violent interactions and unspeakable, brutal attacks, the war between these two neighbors is almost unbearable to witness. Amidst this brutal action, Nick Cooke's beautiful cinematography is perfectly timed, as it highlights the peaceful scenes. For an emotionally dark and sad film, his work offers a sense of hope that we are not ready to lose. While breathing, the collision of hope and sorrow makes one look amazing.
Andrews Creates An Angst-Inducing Atmosphere With Close-ups & Objective Framing
To add to Michael's plight, Andrews does a unique job of focusing his camera on Abbott's body language and facial expressions as they approach each other. In the middle of Take them down it is a story of grief and self-loathing. Abbott brings these emotions to life in a way that feels deeply haunting and numbing. Pushed to the brink of insanity, his performance is top notch. This is the kind of experience that really needs multiple character warnings. And thanks to amazing performances across the board, empathy is all you need.
Full of discord and fear, Take them down an experience that does not allow you to be rigid. The film is full of violence, while artfully portraying the effects of trauma. Abbott's performance as a commentary time bomb is the kind of experience that will stick with you for a while. At the same time, Cooke's cinematography gives a sense of hope in a sad situation. These conflicting aspects of Andrews' character make for an engaging watch while not clearly portraying a true hero versus villain story. Different perspectives show the struggle to survive when everything and everyone stands in your way.
Take them down premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The film is 105 minutes long and has not been rated.