Every so often, there comes a film that sticks with you long after your first viewing. For me, that film is Christopher Andrews’ directorial debut, Bring Them Down, which premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The story chronicles a turf war between neighboring families in a rural Ireland town, where trauma, desperation, and revenge are at the forefront. Featuring an exceptional Christopher Abbott performance and stunning cinematography from Nick Cooke, the film reveals the ugly side of survival and proving your worth. Bring Them Down is 105 minutes worth of violence and misery, but it’s great storytelling, nonetheless.

Bring Them Down Grabs Your Attention From The Opening Sequence

In Bring Them Down’s opening sequence, a young Mikey (Abbott) drives through the winding roads of a wooded area in rural Ireland. After his mother Peggy (Susan Lynch) shares that she will leave his father Ray (Colm Meaney), Mikey becomes angry and speeds up the car. Peggy and Mikey’s girlfriend Caroline (Grace Daly) plead with him to slow down, but Mikey is so overcome with anger that he can’t hear much of anything. This leads to a deadly crash that leaves his mother dead and Caroline scarred for life.

Years later, Michael tends to his family farm and takes care of the sheep to maintain their livelihood. Since his father is now impaired, it’s up to Michael to keep the family business running. Across the way, an older Caroline (Nora-Jane Noone) is married to fellow sheep farmer, Gary (Paul Ready), and they’re training their son Jack (Barry Keoghan) to run the farm and be a sheep keeper. But when the neighboring farms begin to compete for sales and survival, things between the two families become ugly, if not deadly.

While suffocating, the clashing of hope and misery makes for an incredibly intense watching experience.

Andrews has crafted a sensational directorial debut with Bring Them Down. Filled with trauma, despondency, and violence, it’s the kind of feature that will stick with me for a long time. The script centers around Michael’s rage and sorrow, as the memory of his mother’s death lingers on his mind perpetually. As a result of his consistent guilt and anger, he can’t fathom a world in which self-loathing and regret are not part of his daily routine. Through Abbott’s Michael, we are taken on a journey of heightened animosity and anger that is never-ending.

As the story progresses, we begin to realize Michael’s anger isn’t all unwarranted. His neighbors declare war on his family to become the best farmers in their small town. Through violent interactions and unspeakable, brutal attacks, the war between these two neighbors is almost unbearable to witness. In between these ferocious acts, Nick Cooke’s beautiful cinematography is perfectly timed, as it highlights the serene landscapes. For a film so emotionally dark and miserable, his work offers a sense of hope we’re not prepared to lose. While suffocating, the clashing of hope and misery makes for an incredibly intense watching experience.

Andrews Creates An Angst-Inducing Atmosphere With Close-Ups & Intentional Framing

To maximize Michael’s anguish, Andrews does an exceptional job focusing his camera on Abbott’s body language and facial expressions in close-ups. At the center of Bring Them Down is a story of misery and self-hatred. Abbott brings these emotions to life in a way that feels so devastating and numbing. Pushed to the brink of insanity, his performance is top-notch. This is the type of experience that certainly requires multiple trigger warnings. And thanks to the exceptional performances across the board, empathy is all it requires.

Riddled with tension and terror, Bring Them Down is an experience that never lets up on its intensity. The film is filled with violence, while creatively showcasing the aftermath of trauma. Abbott’s performance as a ticking time bomb is the kind of experience that will stick with you for a while. Simultaneously, Cooke’s cinematography offers a sense of hope in a somber setting. These clashing elements of Andrews’ feature make for a fascinating watch while never explicitly showcasing a true hero versus villain story. The different perspectives demonstrate the fight for survival when everything and everyone stands in your way.

Bring Them Down premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The film is 105 minutes long and not yet rated.