What Richard Did

Yesterday we went to see What Richard Did, a new film by Lenny Abrahamson playing at the Irish Film Institute. Starring Jack Reynor as Richard Karlson, the film chronicles a young boy in the summer before he goes to University. He falls in love with a girl, tries to balance parties with his promising rugby career...and accidentally kills one of his friends during a fight one night.

The movie was absolutely bone-chilling. There was very little music, coupled with brilliant camera work and montages. The fight scene was so raw and shot so well that everyone in the theater let out an audible gasp when the fatal blow was delivered. We all knew; Abrahamson made sure we all knew.

This movie struck a number of chords for me. The characters were all around my age, participating in the same environment that we find ourselves in weekend after weekend. The boys in the fight could have been anyone, and I had a sick feeling throughout that this could happen to one of the boys in our program in an instant. Abrahamson also did a brilliant job of showing us Richard's inner workings. Reynor brilliantly acted every poker face, emotional breakdown, panic attack. His emotion was real and raw.

Overall, this was a brilliant film. I would see it a thousand times again.