A Belfast Story (2013)
Directed by Nathan Todd

Film Review

For his feature debut Nathan Todd serves up a limp whodunit which, despite its enigmatic central character (a crumpled Inspector Rebus-like figure convincingly brought to life by Colm Meaney) lacks focus and direction. The fragmented plot soon runs out of steam, its demise helped by a lacklustre supporting cast and Todd's somewhat awkward attempts at playing the auteur. The film created a storm of controversy when publicity material was sent out to the press containing balaclavas and components for home-made bombs. It was a terrible lapse of judgement which won Todd few friends and made it easy for critics to give his film the full knuckle duster treatment.

Film Synopsis

Now that 'the troubles' are at an end Belfast is a changed city. Or is it? Terrorist atrocities may be a rarity but whole swathes of the population of this benighted city are wary of this new era of peace and reconciliation. A police detective begins investigating a series of grisly murders and soon realises that the traumas of the past remain very much in the present. It appears that someone has no intention of letting bygones be bygones...