God's Creatures

UK Release Date. 30 March 2023
Certification. 15
Running Time. 1 hour 40 mins
Director. Saela Davis, Anna Rose Holmer
Cast. Aisling Franciosi, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson.

Rating. 57%

Review.

In God's Creatures co-directors Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer - who previously worked together on Holmer’s 2015 directorial debut, The Fits - competently establish a weighty sense of atmosphere within a seemingly traditional family-drama format. In particular, the subtly realised performance of Emily Watson (as Aileen) and the lack of clarity surrounding Brian’s (Paul Mescal) past create a sombre narrative immersed in guilt and grief.

But what begins as a beguiling portrait of a struggling fishing community, coloured by the coldness and coarseness of Ireland's most northerly county, starts to drift as the story unfolds. The directors seem to grow hesitant over which narrative to focus on, and without a clear dramatic thrust, each strand of the plot weakens and character motivations become muddled. The final act is roundly disappointing -somewhat implausible and overly theatrical.

God's Creatures is an evocative, modern gothic mood piece that offers initial intrigue, but is ultimately constrained by narrative deficiencies.