'71

Set in 1971, filmmaker Yann Demange's '71 centers on a British soldier struggling to survive in a hostile Catholic enclave in Belfast after becoming separated from his squad. Raw recruit Gary Hook (Jack O'Connell) and his green comrades are assigned to support the heavy-handed police in a district sweep, but are unable to control the ensuing violence that erupts. When the troops withdraw, two men are left behind: one is immediately killed by an IRA gunman, while the other—Hook—bolts into narrow, labyrinthine alleyways, closely pursued by the shooter. What follows is a series of tense encounters with locals that highlight the deadly rivalries of the period—not only between the two sides but also within them. The old-line IRA leadership is struggling against a more radical wing, and the British military are at the mercy of unprincipled counterintelligence officers who aren't above colluding with the enemy. Hook's frantic efforts to escape initially place him into the hands of a foul-mouthed 9-year old Protestant loyalist, and then into those of a Catholic father and daughter, who tend to his wounds while fretting over which IRA faction he should be delivered to. A terrific action film that skillfully captures the feel of ‘70s Belfast, ‘71 also effectively conveys the essential pointlessness of the so-called Troubles. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)