‘Small Things Like These’ is a deeply emotional and reflective film displaying excellent character study.
The movie is centered around Cillian Murphy’s character (Bill) who is a working-class Irishman that learns of an abusive situation concerning a church and grapples with his conscience. Murphy is phenomenal as per usual and can convey a complete character arc through his body language and facial expressions with very little dialogue. Emily Watson is formidable as the Mother Superior and the tension she brings to each scene is fantastic.
The cinematography captures the cold, bleak atmosphere of the setting. The muted palette and desolate landscapes enhance the film’s oppressive mood by underlying the nature of the community and the internal conflict and isolation Bill experiences.
What I liked about the movie is that the screenplay mainly implies rather than states, forcing the audience to interpret the events to fully understand the narrative.
‘Small Things Like These’ is a quiet yet powerful movie. I highly recommend it!