DOINEANN (15, 95mins), Drama/Thriller. Starring: Peter Coonan, Clare Monnelly, Bríd Brennan, Seán T Ó Meallaigh
Director: Damian McCann
ALL is not as it seems in Doineann, a highly atmospheric slow-burn thriller as Gaeilge that's the debut feature from Belfast director Damian McCann.
Written by Aislinn Clarke (The Devil's Doorway), the story takes place on an isolated island in Ireland's north-west, where TV investigative journalist Tomás (Peter Coonan), his wife Siobhan (Clare Monnelly) and their infant son Oisín are taking a break from their Dublin lives in a luxury bungalow.
It quickly becomes apparent that there's something askew with this family unit. We are told that Oisín has been suffering fits and there's also talk of Siobhán being "unwell" and having a lot on her mind, which might explain some of her odd/erratic behaviour – like leaving ketchup in the shower and storing the shampoo in the fridge.
Tomás appears concerned about leaving them alone as he rushes back to the mainland to meet a source for the crime-busting TV show he's on the verge of completing: indeed on the way back he visits the local doctor, where postpartum depression is mentioned.
When mother and baby are nowhere to be found upon his return, a frantic Tomás becomes part of a full-scale search party, co-ordinated by the island's lone law enforcement presence, retired Dublin cop Labhaoise (Bríd Brennan).
The deceptively placid ex-detective must attempt to unravel what has happened: could the island's silent and shifty lone ferryman Macdara (Seán T Ó Meallaigh) somehow be involved? Or has the criminal gang Tomás is working to expose decided to pre-empt his next broadcast with a terrifying warning?
To reveal much more would spoil the fun of Doineann's effective slow-building tension, but be assured the film keeps us guessing for a good long while before showing its hand. In fact, I almost wish McCann and Clarke had waited a bit longer before letting on exactly who has done what and to whom.
There's maybe a couple of quibbles in terms of the believability of certain characters' actions once we do get this information, but excellent performances from the cast – especially Brennan, who clearly relished the chance to play this quietly intrepid 'tec – help sell the situations at hand. Provided you don't dwell on certain plot points too much while watching, Doineann will remain a gripping watch until the very end.
Taking full advantage of cinematic landscapes in local locations like Ardglass, Islandmagee and Killyleagh, Doineann's arresting visuals and immersive sound design place audiences right in the thick of the windswept, sea-locked location's rural beauty, which is of course underscored with foreboding isolation given the murky matters at hand.
Perhaps the coolest thing about Doineann is that its 'Irishness' is so casually worn. The characters in the film just happen to speak Irish, though they also converse in English when it's required of them – you know, just like people do in real life.
The Irish language has being 'deployed' on the big screen for authenticity's sake in recent years thanks to excellent historical fare like Black 47 and Arracht, but why shouldn't a contemporary 'genre film' which touches on topical 21st century concerns like gaslighting, coercive control and corruption also be shot as Gaeilge?
On the basis of Doineann – an auspicious feature debut for director Damian McCann – there's absolutely no reason at all.
Rating: 3/5
:: Doineann screens at Odeon Belfast on Thursday November 11 at Belfast Film Festival, book tickets via belfastfilmfestival.org. Read our interview with Bríd Brennan in next Wednesday's Midweek Review.
