The Wind That Shakes the Barley

The Wind That Shakes the Barley (Ken Loach, Ireland/UK, 2006) ★★★★

Irish has been a place full of continuous disputes since a long time ago. Irish people much desired for independent from the control of British Empire government. Except the unstoppable hatred came from the tyrannizing of the British army, Irish people’s own fierce character was also a major reason. Ken Loach and his old partner screen writer Paul Laverty, who always concentrate on the race and class issues of England, present a family tragedy wrapped in an early history of Irish Republic Army.

Damien and Teddy was a pair of brothers who couldn’t put up with the tyrannizing of the British army and stood up against them. Both hold the ideal of the independence of Irish and did what ever it takes. But under the concept of loyalty comes first, as long as there was any brother who ruins the action of the organization must be put to death, no matter how deep their fellowship was.

Finally after a series of engagements and sacrifices, British army accepted to deal with the Republicans. But the decision of building a autonomic army was far different from the ideal of independence, Teddy, who became the leader of the army, and Damien, who kept holding on his ideal, turned against each other ever since.

The tyrannizing of the British army was indeed unbearable, but the Republicans, who got the power and walked into the same behavior pattern as British army, were not only trying to control the trail of the autonomic court but also pressed the people. Their behavior was even more despicable.

Damien gave up continuing his studies for the ideal at the beginning, so he definitely couldn’t tolerate seeing this, especially his own blood brother. A systematic battle for freedom became a fight of brotherhood. Humans still can’t resist being assimilated by corruption, and the love for family was pathetically eliminated by the ridiculous regulation.

Loach’s tensile storytelling finally got recognized at Cannes Film Festival. (the chairman of the jury was even Wong Kar Wai) Whether this is better than his previous “Land and Freedom” or “Bread and Roses” etc. depends on individual tastes. Which can be confirmed is his practiced skill steeled by the age float densely in this film.