TIFF 24: Bring Them Down, Sing Sing, Hard Truths, The Return

Bring Them Down ⭐⭐⭐
Chris Andrews | Drama, Thriller | 105′ | Ireland

Bring Them Down, featuring standout performances by Oscar-nominated Barry Keoghan (Saltburn, The Banshees of Inisherin) and Christopher Abbott (Possessor, Sanctuary), is a tense and gripping thriller about two families locked in conflict against the rugged landscape of rural western Ireland.

Michael (Abbott), the last son of a farming family, lives an isolated life with his ill-tempered, ailing father Ray. Burdened by a horrific secret from his past, Michael has withdrawn from the world, dedicating himself to his beloved herd. But when long-standing tensions with rival farmer Gary and his rebellious, unpredictable son Jack (Keoghan) resurface, they trigger a chain of events that spirals violently and destructively, leaving both families forever changed.

Directed and co-written by Christopher Andrews, Bring Them Down also stars Colm Meaney, Paul Ready, and Nora-Jane Noone. It’s a hard-hitting and powerful debut that signals the arrival of a bold new cinematic voice.

Sing Sing ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Greg Kwedar | Drama | 107′ | USA

Premiering at the Toronto Film Festival, Greg Kwedar’s Sing Sing explores the power of art from an unexpected perspective with an aesthetic yet realistic approach.

Divine G, serving time in Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit, has found new purpose by joining a theater group with fellow inmates, where they stage performances together. To be or not to be. As they say, they come here to be reborn as human beings. Reality and roles blend, obscuring truth itself.

In Sing Sing, prison walls transform confinement into a theatrical setting. Metal bars remain in the background, but they lose their dominance, turning the space into a dual observatory—where it’s no longer the guards watching but the audience. This shift deeply impacts the prisoners’ lives, with newfound purpose reflected in their joyful, radiant expressions even amid memories of guilt and remorse.

The film subtly references Van Gogh’s Prisoners Exercising, capturing the monotony of prison life broken by the theater program’s creative outlet. Yet, a prosecutor’s question—”Were you acting even in that interview?”—casts a shadow of doubt over these transformations, suggesting that skepticism lingers even in the face of redemptive experiences.

The film strikingly addresses art’s transformative and healing power, illustrating how humanity can rediscover itself, even in the darkest corners.

Hard Truths ⭐⭐⭐
Mike Leigh | Drama | 97′ | UK, Spain

British director Mike Leigh reunites with Oscar nominee Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Secrets & Lies) for his 23rd film, Hard Truths, offering a bold, in-depth look at modern family life.

Leigh’s humorous and insightful touch makes the film both challenging and captivating. Even the smallest character nuances add warmth and depth to the scenes. Hard Truths avoids simplistic solutions, showing that even the most frustrating characters deserve a bit of empathy.

On the other hand, this film could be seen as one of the weaker links in the director’s filmography. It’s clear that the English working-class theme now needs to evolve, though adding a racial dimension to it is debatable. Similarly, Ken Loach’s The Old Oak couldn’t fully carry the working-class theme and incorporated immigration as a new element. Perhaps it’s time for these aging directors to hand over the topic to filmmakers like Andrea Arnold, Lynne Ramsay, and Clio Barnard, who still bring originality despite their age; after all, a new Kes or High Hopes may not be on the horizon…

The Return ⭐⭐⭐
Uberto Pasolini | Historical Drama | 116′ | USA, France, UK, Italy, Greece

A powerful and timeless story with an Italian touch on The Odyssey: The Return. In his latest film, Uberto Pasolini brings the world of Homer back to life, starring Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes.

After 20 years away, Odysseus decides to return. The king has finally come home, but much has changed in his kingdom since he left for the Trojan War. Producer James Clayton summarizes the film’s core, “This is an ‘Odyssey’ like we’ve never seen before; there are no gods or monsters, but instead a haunted war veteran who must return to violence to save his loved ones. It was an honor to help Uberto bring this spiritual journey to life with such extraordinary actors.”

Nil Birinci