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Love Lies Bleeding is the first of several Northern Ireland dramas exploring
the complexities of the peace process. These films ask whether peace can occur
in a community accustomed to violence, and if previous hurts can be forgotten or
forgiven in order to create a new society. Love Lies Bleeding, broadcast in
September 1993, actually anticipates the first IRA ceasefire, which began some
months later. Even more than the later films on the subject, it is based around
the desire for revenge and the search for a collective redemption.
The film is also notable as an early work by Michael Winterbottom, who has
since become one of Britain's most prolific and eclectic feature filmmakers with
titles such as Jude (1996) and 24 Hour Party People (2002). His confidence with
the camera, fast pacing, and powerful reading of set piece scenes are already
evident here, especially in sequences like the meeting at Sinn Fein's HQ and Con
and Sophie's visit to The Bluebell.
The film is written by former Republican prisoner Ronan Bennett, who has also
gone onto further success with screenplays and particularly novels (such as
Havoc). His script is very strong on the political ambiguities and intrigues of
contemporary Northern Ireland, raising questions without offering easy answers
and making us ambivalent about Thomas's actions. The narrative is pacy and
exciting and full of surprising revelations. The process of disclosure, always a
knotty problem with thrillers, is controlled adeptly.
Rather less successful though is the characterisation, and consequently the
performances. Con is so passive, and his obsession with Layla so hazy (despite
the rather hackneyed 8mm 'dream' sequences of her cavorting over sand dunes),
that he does not really engage our interest and Mark Rylance has to resort to
scowling a lot. The major weakness, however, is the character of Sophie, a
laughably enigmatic Frenchwoman straight from central casting who detracts from
the realism of the piece, existing solely as a convenient lift for Con in his
various quests. In contrast, as always, Brendan Gleeson is fantastic as Thomas,
conveying perfectly a man who can be murderous and reasonable at the same time.
His final scene with Con in his cell really makes Love Lies Bleeding work as a
political thriller.
Phil Wickham
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1. Waiting for Thomas (5:40)
