Route Irish
Dir: Ken Loach
2010
****
Route Irish is regarded as the most dangerous road in the world and that is essentially where the film starts but there are many 'dangerous roads' explored in Ken Loach's gripping and uncompromising thriller. Mark Womack is full on in the lead role of Fergus, a private security contractor working in Iraq who is trying to get to the bottom of his best friends death. So many elements of human nature are explored here; friendship, regret, guilt, revenge, anger - it really has got it all. It also touches on the unpopular issues of contractors making a lot of money in war-torn countries, the people making vast fortunes from taking advantage of the situation and the crimes they are getting away with. It also touches on the very real and very nasty sides of war, this comes as our protagonist breaks down and confesses to the horrors he's seen in conflict but then 20 minutes later, tortures a man with the controversial Water-boarding method. Never one to shy away from controversy, Ken Loach has produced another thought-provoking and powerful film that seems to be criminally overlooked once more. And before you wonder, yes, it does star that John Bishop. He's quite good in it too!