Amongst the Wolves Movie Review – A Raw Socially Conscious Irish Crime Thriller

Modern-day crime thrillers feature high stakes and exaggerated characters, but the reality about crime is it often attracts regular people who find themselves in desperate situations. This is what differentiates Amongst the Wolves from its genre siblings: it feels real. It’s a reminder (or even a warning) that life can change at the drop of a hat and put someone in difficult circumstances.

This is what happens to Danny (Luke McQuillan), who struggles to deal with his trauma from his time in the military. An incident with his family changes his entire life, culminating in him becoming homeless. Danny meets a young teenager named Will (Daniel Fee), who is also homeless but involved with a local drug gang run by the ruthless Power (Aidan Gillen). The pair form a friendship, as Danny attempts to help Will pay his debt to Power and get out of the gang life. However, that’s far simpler than it sounds.

Luke McQuillan and Mark O’Connor’s script sounds like a run-of-the-mill premise for the genre, but it’s the subtleties that make Amongst the Wolves stand apart. It’s a harsh but truthful commentary about how society fails the vulnerable, allowing malevolent forces to take advantage of their precarious situation. Will isn’t born a criminal; he’s only trying to get by and Power provides a way for him to survive. Power knows that no one cares about Will or his future because he’s seen as just another homeless person among many, so he uses him. Even if Will clears his debts, Power will never let go of his hold on him.

In Danny’s case, he’s been let down by the country he served. Like many people before and after him, he suffers post-traumatic stress from what he experienced in the army. Instead of helping and rehabilitating him, he’s left to deal with these complex emotions on his own. Danny is unable to do so, and loses everything in the process. Now, not only does he have the demons from his past to contend with, but also newer trauma that spirals him into an endless cycle of self-blame. In addition to this, he finds himself homeless, which causes another set of issues altogether.

Director Mark O’Connor’s greatest talent in Amongst the Wolves isn’t in the suspense – it’s in the realism of the characters and this world. There’s a rawness to the film, as the two lead characters go through an emotional meat grinder and experience a lifetime’s worth of misfortune and heartache in 100 minutes. Worst of all, they feel alone. Bar Kate (Louise Bourke), who extends kindness to them, no one else cares. This hits hard. At a point, the viewer realizes that what happens to Danny and Will could easily be someone else’s fate. They are avatars for the everyday experience of the homeless.

While Gillen is the biggest name out of all the cast members, McQuillan and Fee turn into the major scene stealers with their poignant performances. Fee, in particular, is someone to keep your eye on. While still a young actor, Fee comes across as a seasoned veteran in a role that requires a wealth of emotion without saying too much. The actor nails every aspect of this, taking the audience on a sympathetic and heart-wrenching journey with Will.

Amongst the Wolves might not have all the scintillating action and heart-stopping thrills of other films from the genre, but its message lands solidly, as it sensitizes the desensitized. If anything, it’s an eye opener that forces the viewer to take a step back and look at the wider world around them. It’s a call to action for everyone’s humanity and to display more compassion and understanding to those who find themselves in less fortunate situations.

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Directed by Mark O’Connor from a script written by O’Conner and Luke McQuillan, Amongst the Wolves will be released digitally on June 2.