Review of “Small Things Like These”: “Cillian Murphy proves that less is more in this expertly directed drama.”

Adapted from Claire Keegan’s award-winning 2021 book, this subtle Irish drama is about the so-called “Magdalene Laundries”, the predominantly Catholic Church-run institutions where “fallen women” were housed and exploited. While the shameful practice, which spanned from the 18th century to the late 20th century, was previously explored in detail in Peter Mullan’s acclaimed prisoner-focused film The Magdalene Sisters (2002), Tim Mielants (2019) explores it in the ’80s The drama, set years ago, is an outsider’s perspective.

Living with his wife Eileen (Eileen Walsh) in New Ross, County Wexford, “soft-hearted” father-of-five Bill (Cillian Murphy) is an introspective coal merchant whose past traumas come to the surface when, at Christmas time, he delivers his goods to a local monastery. There he quite accidentally discovers a young, disheveled girl cowering in a coal shed.