By Megan Bianco
Behind Dane DeHaan and Miles Teller, one of the most successful young actors to break into film in the last two years is Jack O’Connell. Beginning his career on the UK teen soap television show “Skins” (2009-13) before Angelina Jolie chose him to be the star of her war epicUnbroken (2014), O’Connell was also the lead in Starred Up (2013) and ’71, directed by Yann Demange. Now, ’71 is finally receiving a U.S. theatrical release after spending a full year at film festivals.
Aimless and introverted, Gary Hook (O’Connell) joins the British military in the midst of Belfast’s most dangerous period—during “The Troubles,” when Catholics and Protestants were at war with each other. Leaving behind his little brother in England, Hook is accidently abandoned on the streets of Belfast on his unit’s first day occupying the town after a deadly encounter with locals. All alone and with both groups against him, Hook must find a way to escape without getting killed.
Sam Reid, Sean Harris, Charlie Murphy and Barry Keoghan co-star. ’71 is both Demange’s and screenwriter Gregory Burke’s first feature film after a decade of working in TV. Their film is unapologetic with its use of graphic gore and corrupted characters showing a terrible period in Ireland’s history, and shedding some light on the terror out on the streets. But the real stand-out in the film is O’Connell, who has the masculine presence of an old Hollywood movie star and delivers effortlessly. Three movies in and it doesn’t look like he’ll be disappearing anytime soon.
