Title – Bring Them Down (2024)

Director – Chris Andrews (feature debut)

Cast – Christopher Abbott, Barry Keoghan, Colm Meaney, Paul Ready

Plot – Rural Irish sheepherder/farmer Michael (Abbott) is thrust into a dangerous situation that includes dealing with his unwell father Ray (Meaney) and a conflict with a competing farming family that is operated day to day by the unstable and unpredictable Jack (Keoghan).  

“You were always obsessed with fire”

Review by Eddie on 27/08/2025

The 2024 winner of the British Independent Film Awards Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director, Bring Them Down marks the feature length arrival of director Chris Andrews who shows himself to be a filmmaker not afraid to get dark and grimy with his confronting and unashamedly bleak rural Irish drama.

Set in the rugged and picturesque farming lands of Ireland that masks dark and troublesome issues that are afflicting Christopher Abbott’s Michael and his work on his ailing father Ray’s (a typically strong Colm Meaney) farm and particularly their dealings with a neighbouring family that is proving to be an increasing disruption thanks to the antics of Barry Keoghan’s unwieldy Jack, Down is as depressing of a film as they get but there’s no denying some great craft from all involved.

Tackling a familiar story in a unique way that includes an interesting take from a storytelling perspective around the half way mark as well as giving everything a very Irish flavour, Down does at times struggle to differentiate itself from a loaded field of similar films but when it hits it hits hard and the work of its two leads is notable with Abbott and Keoghan both proving once more that they can match it with the best.

Originally set to be a role that Paul Mescal was taking on, Keoghan is very much playing second fiddle here to Abbott’s Michael but he makes a big impression and as we learn more about his backstory and motivations it adds a weight to Down’s tale that doesn’t always play out or go in the direction you’d expect.

After becoming one of the most consistent supporting performers working today over the last few years and lets all just forget about Wolf Man, Abbott once more showcases great depth as a performer as the inwardly tormented Michael, a man haunted by his past, his families history and struggle to find a place in a world that is seemingly hellbent on shutting him out and his turn here is one of his best yet in a feature film.

As stated earlier, Down is an increasingly dark and intensely bleak offering and for anyone not up for a ride into the very darkside of a rugged, rural and unforgiving Ireland they should give Down a very wide berth, especially so if added amounts of animal cruelty and violence is a no go for a viewer.

Not always coming together in ways you might hope for, Down is still a minor achievement for debut director Andrews and is one of the more memorable Irish films to come forward in the last few years despite its audience being undoubtedly limited in scope.

Final Say –

A sombre affair that’s well shot and expertly acted, Bring Them Down is a grimy and street-smart Irish offering that doesn’t reach grand heights but should be a solid viewing option for anyone willing to take an unflinching journey into one families crumbling way of life.

3 injured ears out of 5