SHADOW DANCER
The tortured, twisted tangle of the Irish troubles is tackled in this teasing thriller directed by James Marsh (Man on Wire). After the tragic death of her young brother when she was a child, Colette and her family turn to the IRA to redress their wrongs. Colette is a conflicted volunteer and is blackmailed into helping British agent Mac.
The movie maintains a solid pace which mimics the faded beiges and greys of 1990s Belfast. This is a dour city with outdated technology and the undercurrents of a secret purpose. The film is not polemical and deals pragmatically with both sides of the political fence. Andrea Riseborough, as Colette, steals the show with shades of doubt, fear, and loss flitting across her face like flickering twilight. A film of many questions and few answers, the short run time adds to its suspenseful feel. (LR) ***
