Michael Collins (1996)

Biopic of Michael Collins (played by Liam Neeson), the revolutionary Irishman who leads a guerilla force against the UK during the Irish War of Independence.

Neil Jordan directs, but it doesn’t feel like a Neil Jordan film. 

For some reason, I found it difficult to sustain interest. The narrative didn’t make a strong enough case for why these events were important or why we should care. And it doesn’t explain how Collins, out of so many people, rose to prominence. 

Liam Neeson wasn’t at his best. Julia Roberts has charm but was underused as his love interest. The accents were distracting – especially in the case of Alan Rickman’s awkward portrayal of Éamon de Valera. Only Stephen Rea, as Ned Broy, was truly convincing.

The End of the Affair (1999)

Neil Jordan’s adaptation of Graham Greene’s classic 1951 novel, which had previously been adapted by Edward Dmytryk in 1955, is by far the better of the two films. It’s rare that this is the case with remakes, but if anyone could fashion a satisfying film from this material it was Neil Jordan. 

During World War II, writer Maurice Bendrix (Ralph Fiennes) falls in love with Sarah Miles (Julianne Moore), the wife of a civil servant (Stephen Rea). But other forces keep the couple apart. Whereas the 1955 film is awkward and improbable, this remake comes alive as a psychological drama because the characters are three-dimensional and sympathetic. You can really believe that Sarah and Maurice love each other because the acting is so strong. 

There’s also an excellent performance by Ian Hart as the detective assigned to follow Sarah’s activities. 

Graham Greene’s somewhat overwrought handling of Catholic themes is softened here so that the character motivations become credible.

Ondine (2009)

A drama that cleverly keeps you guessing until the end. 

Syracuse a.k.a. "Circus" (Colin Farrell) is an Irish fisherman. While out on his boat one day he catches a young woman in his trawling net. Remarkably, she's alive. 

Director Neil Jordan has fun playing with the ambiguity of Ondine's true essence. He cleverly has it both ways: she is both a mythological sea creature and a very real human with a very real past that inevitably comes back to haunt her. 

It works on multiple levels: as a gentle smalltown love story, as an escapist fantasy in the vein of Local Hero, and as a kind of modern fairytale. 

Alison Barry is absolutely wonderful as Syracuse’s young daughter suffering from kidney failure. It’s rare to see a child actor with such composure, wit and timing. And Alicja Bachleda gets it just right as the troubled, enigmatic Ondine, who never denies being a "selkie". 

The supporting cast are also excellent, including Stephen Rea as the local priest and Dervla Kirwan as Syracuse's alcoholic ex-wife.

The Crying Game (1992)

Unusual, original and adventurous thriller directed by Neil Jordan. 

Stephen Rea plays Fergus, an IRA soldier who grows attached to a hostage named Jody (Forest Whitaker) he is ultimately expected to kill. After events turn even more nasty for the unit, Fergus flees and ends up making a new life for himself in London. He seeks out Jody’s romantic partner, and everything he does is guided by having had that intense relationship with him. Before long, his old life starts to come back to him. 

It’s a tense drama with welcome moments of humour and whimsy. 

Miranda Richardson is excellent as the oddly terrifying Jude, an IRA member who is used to snare the hostage. It’s also good to see Tony Slattery and Jim Broadbent in the cast.

I like the way The Crying Game manages to subvert all expectations by turning into a different kind of film about halfway through but then ultimately bringing the two threads back together. Race, gender, sexuality, nationality and morality are all considered, but never in a heavy-handed way. Instead, these themes grow naturally from the engrossing plot and convincing characters.