Small Things Like These is a quiet and deeply moving historical drama that takes an unflinching look at the dark legacy of the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland. Based on the novel by Claire Keegan, the film is a powerful story of conscience, societal complicity, and the courage of one man to stand up against a powerful institution. Set in a small Irish town in 1985 as Christmas approaches, the film centers on Bill Furlong (Cillian Murphy), a hard-working coal merchant and a devoted family man. He has a simple, decent life with his wife, Eileen (Eileen Walsh), and their five daughters. However, beneath his calm exterior, Bill carries the weight of a painful childhood, having been raised by an unwed mother in a society that ostracized them. These buried memories haunt him, and as the winter days grow shorter, a profound sense of disquiet begins to settle over him.
The town of New Ross is dominated by the local convent, a seemingly benevolent institution that runs a laundry and a school. While the townspeople rely on the convent for employment and education, there are hushed rumors about the young, unwed women who are housed there. During a routine coal delivery to the convent, Bill makes a shocking discovery that forces him to confront the grim reality of what is happening behind the convent's high walls. He finds a teenage girl, emaciated and terrified, locked in the coal shed.
This pivotal moment is the emotional core of the film. The girl’s desperate state is a stark reminder of Bill's own past and the injustice his mother faced. This discovery forces him to make a choice: to turn a blind eye, as the rest of the town does, and protect his family from the wrath of the powerful Mother Superior, Sister Mary (Emily Watson), or to risk everything and do what he knows is right. The film masterfully portrays the subtle but immense pressure placed on Bill by his community. His wife and neighbors warn him, urging him to mind his own business and not interfere with the convent's affairs, reminding him of their power and influence.
Small Things Like These is not a fast-paced thriller. Instead, it is a slow-burn character study, with the tension building through unspoken truths, lingering glances, and a sense of quiet dread. The film's atmosphere is palpable, with the cold, gray Irish winter serving as a visual metaphor for the emotional chill that pervades the town's social fabric. Cillian Murphy delivers a masterful performance, conveying a world of internal conflict and moral anguish with a quiet intensity that is both captivating and heart-wrenching. The film's strength lies in its refusal to sensationalize its subject matter. It focuses on the human cost of systemic cruelty and the quiet heroism of an ordinary man who, by choosing to act, reclaims his own humanity.
Small Things Like These is a 2024 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 38 minutes.
It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7 and a MetaScore of 82.
