19/45
Synopsis
Spanning four tumultuous decades during the Troubles in Northern Ireland
The real Dolours Price was married for two decades (1983-2003) to Irish actor Stephen Rea. During that time, Rea appeared in the film he is probably best known for in the US: the 1992 romantic thriller The Crying Game. In that film, Rea plays Fergus, an extremely reluctant and ambivalent member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), the same organisation Price was involved with for many years. I will start by saying that the production on this series is excellent, the acting is fantastic and the story overall is gripping.
Things like this usually only appeal to people from the island, those directly involved or history buffs
As someone from Northern Ireland it is always nice to see something from here represented on TV or film, but usually there is a feeling that it is a “B” production at best. I am thrilled to say that is not the case with “Say Nothing”, this series was so well done that I imagine it will be seen and enjoyed by people all over the world. But I think this will appeal to a wider audience as it is presented as a character driven drama. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched something and heard the Northern Irish accent butchered to the point where it makes me cringe.
I don’t know where they’ve been hiding but they’ve found them!
I’ve always thought to myself “if only we had some top tier actors (other than Liam Neeson) who could play these roles”. The acting was excellent throughout the show and it’s nice to see some local talent getting some much needed and deserved recognition. I wasn’t familiar with most of the cast of this show but if at least one or two don’t become household names in the UK I’ll be surprised (particularly the actors who played the Price sisters). I haven’t read the book although I imagine it’s more historical and factual about what happened during the troubles.
The series definitely keeps this historical and cultural impact in mind, even though it is primarily character driven
It does a great job of developing the characters and portraying all sides of the characters involved and showing a multitude of emotions for people who we would probably prefer to see as one-dimensional in real life. My only reservation about this series is that I felt the narrative of the Troubles was a little one-sided. The focus is obviously on the IRA/Republican movement, so it’s no surprise that they are seen as the main characters. However, there are two sides to the story with the Belfast conflict and it feels like the Protestant/Unionist side has been left out completely.
I expect it will be hard watching for a lot of people, especially those who were directly affected and those who may still be grieving the loss of loved ones
That said, I think they’ve done a good job of showing how bad things have become and how the lines between right and wrong have become blurred, even in wartime and even when you’re convinced the only right opinion is your own. My hope is that people can appreciate it for what it is, an excellent piece of television on a subject that most of the world may have forgotten or never heard of, and I hope that prejudice doesn’t get in the way of enjoying a good show.
