In the Name of the Father, Death and the Maiden, The Torture Question - Movie Review Example

Gerry Conlon was not the only one to have been accused, but his family and friends were considered to be responsible either.  Thus, the filmmakers began “to explore their real theme, which is the intimate emotional consequences of oppression and prejudice" (The New Yorker n. p.).

The story revolved around an era known as “The troubles.’’ This era faced conflicts between two forces: the first one was the IRA, that is the Irish Republican Army, and the second one was UVF, that is Ulster Volunteer Force. The reason behind the conflicts that started in 960 was the change or the rise in the trend of bombing, terrorism and riots. The area where our protagonist dwelled was Belfast, the city in Northern Ireland, which was transformed into a battle zone and became a barrier between the two forces. It came to be known as ‘’the barricaded city’’. The story dealt with a boy named Gerry.

The IRA considered that he was the person who spread terror and was the one responsible to plant a bomb, the accident that resulted in killing five innocent people. The people who were suspected of this crime were Paddy, Gerry, Paul and Carol, who were literally abused and physically tortured during their seven-day interrogation. The worst part was when Gerry Conlon refused to speak up and the agency threatened to kill his father. This got him in a very weird situation when he had to confess, although he had not committed any sort of a crime. Gerry Conlon served 15 years of imprisonment and was eventually released. The Lawyer of Gerry, namely, Gareth Pierse, discovered proof that the IRA tried to hide from the courts and the media. After these facts of evidence were brought to the authorities the "Guilford four" was released after a period of 15 years in jail. During this time Gerry Conlon lost his father, who died while he was in jail (Kenigsberg n. p.).

This story revolves around the life of man, which cannot be called an ordinary one, and depicts his battle against the forces that made him go through a terrible experience. He faces the most brutal and unfair treatment by the British judiciary and casts into question the competence of the system that was being enforced back then. There were lots of people who experienced torture being innocent citizens and could not simply live in peace having become the victims of the unfair system. The protagonist of the story is the embodiment of every individual who experienced the brutality and injustice of the said era. This movie has an irresistible and moving plot. The book, which was eventually transformed into a movie, was considered by critics as a "thoughtful and thought-provoking book that proposes suggestions for fixing society through common sense and faith" (Breckenridge-ayers 48).

The movie has a unique style, which is seldom on the big screen. The way it condemns the British system is very brave in its own way.  The thing about this movie is that it certainly does not intend to exaggerate the impact of the IRA. Likewise, it is not made with the purpose to promote getting out of the British Government from Northern Ireland or damaging the Crown Prosecution Service in any way. The reason behind this movie was to narrate the story of the local masses that are stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time and try hard to resist injustice.  It also deals with the devotion of a boy to his father (Claude and Weston 426). These people faced a great setback and their lives were completely shattered. The reason behind this catastrophe was the personal incentive of police who just wanted to prove they had actually arrested the people responsible for the Guilford bombings. Apparently, the real culprits were never found and the mystery remains unsolved. This also raises a question against the credibility of the British police.