A Mother’s Love Forsaken.|Sep. 30, 2022|Ireland|101 Min.|R
Genre: Drama
Description: “God’s Creatures” is a 2022 psychological drama directed by Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer, with a screenplay by Shane Crowley based on a story he co-wrote with producer Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly. The film features a talented cast including Emily Watson, Paul Mescal, Aisling Franciosi, Declan Conlon, Toni O’Rourke, Marion O’Dwyer, Brendan McCormack, and Lalor Roddy. It made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2022, and was later released in the United States on September 30, 2022, by A24.
The story is set in a windswept fishing village, where Aileen O’Hara lies to shield her son, Brian, from a serious accusation, causing tension within the tight-knit community. The film was first announced on May 22, 2019, with Davis and Holmer set to direct a Gothic-style project produced by O’Reilly. By June 2020, financing was secured from BBC Film, Screen Ireland, and the Western Region Audiovisual Producer’s Fund (WRAP). The cast expanded in May 2021 with the addition of Emily Watson and Paul Mescal. The production team included Inbal Weinberg as production designer, Chayse Irvin as cinematographer, and Julia Bloch as editor.
The film received critical acclaim, earning a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 71 reviews, with an average score of 7.3/10. Critics praised it as a “painfully raw yet rewarding” exploration of a mother’s love, highlighted by Emily Watson’s exceptional performance. Metacritic assigned it a score of 71 out of 100, indicating “generally favorable reviews.” Screen Rant awarded it four stars, describing it as an “unnerving rural gothic tale” with “quietly fierce performances” that make the slow build to its climax worth the wait.
Cast director: Anna Rose Holmer
Cast actor: Emily Watson, Paul Mescal, Aisling Franciosi, Declan Conlon, Toni O’Rourke, Marion O’Dwyer, Brendan McCormack, Lalor Roddy, Isabelle Connolly, Seán T. Ó Meallaigh
Original name: God’s Creatures