ROUTE IRISH
UK, 2010, 109 minutes, Colour.
Mark Wermack, Andrea Lowe.
Directed by Ken Loach.
If you are wondering what the route Irish is and where it is exactly, the film tells us that it is one of the most dangerous roads in the world, the road between Bagdad airport and the city’s green zone ( already the title of Paul Greengrass’s film about the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq).
And, if you are wondering whether Ken Loach is making a political and social commentary film, the answer is yes... but he is also making a thriller in the classical mode of such films.
Loach’s focus here is on the companies who went into Iraq to help with the rebuilding and won themselves enormous contracts. Many of the individuals, and some companies, have been accused of abuse and violence against Iraquis (as one characters states here after a mate has been killed in Basra, he was so angry he had to go out and get himself a towelhead). These cowboy tactics have been widely criticised and some perpetrators have been brought to trial, but it is an area of reprehensible behaviour that needs more spotlighting, especially for justice towards Iraqui victims and their families.
While there are some sequences in Iraq (filmed in Jordan), most of the action takes place in Liverpool where the film opens with Fergus (Mark Womack) going to the funeral of his friend, Frankie, whom he had persuaded to go to work in Iraq for the money. Frankie has died in mysterious if not suspicious circumstances. The rest of the film shows Fergus’ determination (both relentless and angry and often mouthed in wearisome crass language) to find out what exactly happened and who was responsible. That is not too difficult to fathom but the drama of the film is in what it does to Fergus himself, the danger of becoming as monstrous in his pursuit of truth as the violent and indifferent men who killed Frankie. Loach and his constant film-writer for almost 15 years, Paul Laverty, take an almost pessimistic view.
The Loach justice concern is to the fore, but in a style different from his usual social dramas.
1. Ken Loach and his political perspectives, analyses of society, critique of society? Critique of conservative politics and the right?
2. Loach and his making of a political thriller, straightforward in plotting, an investigation, a mystery, vengeance?
3. The sequences in Baghdad, the fighting, the taxi and the shooting, the van being destroyed, the families? Using Jordan locations?
4. The action taking place in Liverpool, the water and the ferry, the beginning (and the flashbacks to Fergus and Frankie as kids)? The finale on the ferry? Homes, offices, meetings? A sense of realism? The low-key score?
5. The introduction to Frankie and Fergus, Fergus not answering Frankie's calls, Frankie desperate? Fergus and his memories? Going to Frankie's funeral? In the church, the Catholic atmosphere, the arrangements for the funeral, the sealed coffin and his staying back, looking in the coffin and holding Frankie's hand? Rachel angry with him? His grief? The ceremony, Haynes and his address, tribute to Frankie, the theory of the wrong place at the wrong time?
6. The episode with Marisol, the background of Ibeza, Fergus and Frankie and the others with R and R in Ibeza? Frankie getting the mobile to her through Jamie? Her giving the mobile to Fergus? Fergus and his office, its look? With Hareem, watching the video on the mobile, the translation of the calls? The consequences? Hareem and his concern, doing it for the families in Iraq? Nelson, bashing Hareem, his being in hospital? His memorising the phone number of the mother of the murdered children?
7. The family meeting after the funeral, Fergus and his intervening, his getting angry, the reactions for and against him?
8. Frankie and Fergus and their growing up together, like brothers, their story, the friendship, Frankie and his military career, getting out, Fergus working in Iraq, the companies and their contracts, the amount of money to be made, so quickly? The flashback to Fergus persuading Frankie to go to Iraq, his not wanting to go because of Rachel, the financial issues?
9. The film's focus on international companies, their contracts, the contractors themselves, the amount of money, the cowboy behaviour? The different types: Walker and his smooth-talking, the golf, diplomatic? Nelson and his heavy-handed attitudes, wanting to get himself a towel head, his drinking, violence? Haynes, the CEO, a smooth-talker? The various threats, angers and orders, moving people around? Mad Max as the driver, his throat being cut? The international hiring, the Colombians and their part in the ambush? Issues of accountability and non-accountability?
10. Fergus, his age, his passport taken, awaiting a court case for brawling? The background with Marisol? His always being on edge, flaring up, showing his anger? With Rachel, her watching the video, his determination to solve the mystery?
11. Fergus and his sources in Baghdad, Tommy on Skype, the information, Tommy being bashed and fired? Jamie sent to Afghanistan, fixing cars, his return? Craig wounded and returned? Peggy, the call, the story of the bar fights, Frankie and Nelson's taunts of Florence Nightingale, the graffiti in the toilet?
12. Rachel, her love for Frankie, her grief? The impact of the video sequences? Going through the things, finding photos, Fergus wanting to take them and Rachel's outburst against him? Frankie and the emails in his own phone, his opening up to Marisol more than he did to her? Yet his love for Rachel? Rachel and her love for Fergus, the encounter? The search of her flat and everything in disarray? Going to Fergus's office to make sure he was all right? Her dance class? Fergus's final call to her from the boat?
13. Meeting Walker with Rachel, planting the phone, listening in to the phone call and discovering the lies? The meeting with Haynes, his plausible talk, about the merger? The golf sequences?
14. Nelson, his arrival back in England, hiring thugs, destroying apartments, bashing Hareem, searching Fergus's office? Fergus and his taking Nelson, the water torture, Nelson's fear, his truth and lies, his death?
15. Craig and Jamie, arguing with Fergus, his not wanting to face the truth, their persuading him of what really happened?
16. The meeting, the merger, Haynes and his talk, Haynes and Walker and the secretary, getting in the car - and the explosion? Fergus becoming as bad as those he was pursuing?
17. Fergus, nothing left to live for, the final phone call, falling to his death?
18. Ken Loach and his perspectives on international corporations? The fabricating of wars? The financial gains from wars? The effect on individuals and their behaviour? His sympathy towards the Iraqis, victims of the invasion and the war? The consequences of the invasion of Iraq?
