The debut feature from 24 year old Gerard Barrett, Pilgrim Hill paints a bleak, sometimes devastating, picture of life in rural Ireland. As he himself puts it, farmer Jimmy Walsh (Joe Mullins) is "uneducated, the wrong side of 40, and without hope for more". Left to care for the farm and his bed ridden father by himself, Jimmy's life has become one of tedious routine, one he desperately wishes to escape. But as hard as his life has become, events transpire to make it even harder.
From the opening frame, Pilgrim Hill moves along with a slow, deliberate pace, following Jimmy as he goes about his day to day tasks, and really hammering home the wretchedness of his life. It is bleak and mundane, but it is all that he knows, so he marches on regardless. The movie is part feature film, part faux documentary, with Jimmy talking directly to the camera at times, offering the back story of how he came to this point in his life. These scenes really lets under the skin of the character. He is baring his soul to us, and is in extreme contrast to how guarded he is in everyday life. The only time you see Jimmy come out of his shell around other people is in his scenes with Tommy (Muris Crowley), the exact opposite of Jimmy: confident, carismatic, full of dreams of leaving to work in Abu Dabhi or Canada. These scenes offer the only bit of fun and humour in the movie, but they themselves are tinged with sadness as you get the feeling Tommy may be the same boat as Jimmy, but just doesn't realise it yet. As you might guess, this isn't a cheerful movie. It can be emotionally draining at times, the ending leaving you unsure of where Jimmy will go next, but it will always keep your interest. It is beautifully shot using the minimum lighting possible, as if mirroring the lack of light in Jimmy's life. The lack of a soundtrack is noticeable from the very start. It is slightly unnerving, and the ambiance from the surrounding area really adds to the atmosphere. The decision to keep the films one music track for the closing moments is a master stroke, and really adds to the power of these scenes.
Pretty much carrying the movie himself, Mullins' is fantastic as Jimmy. You see the toll this life has taken on him in everything he does, and he carries with him the air of a broken man at all times. In his monlogues to the camera, he really shines, letting all the pain come out as he imagines how different his life could have been. He also sells the relationship with Jimmy's father extremely well, which is no mean feat since he never actually appears, only mentioned and represented by a shot of a door framed through another doorway.
Pilgrim Hill does take a hefty emotional toll on you, but if you stick with it, you will be treated to a wonderfully put together and fascinating look at one man's tragic life.
From the opening frame, Pilgrim Hill moves along with a slow, deliberate pace, following Jimmy as he goes about his day to day tasks, and really hammering home the wretchedness of his life. It is bleak and mundane, but it is all that he knows, so he marches on regardless. The movie is part feature film, part faux documentary, with Jimmy talking directly to the camera at times, offering the back story of how he came to this point in his life. These scenes really lets under the skin of the character. He is baring his soul to us, and is in extreme contrast to how guarded he is in everyday life. The only time you see Jimmy come out of his shell around other people is in his scenes with Tommy (Muris Crowley), the exact opposite of Jimmy: confident, carismatic, full of dreams of leaving to work in Abu Dabhi or Canada. These scenes offer the only bit of fun and humour in the movie, but they themselves are tinged with sadness as you get the feeling Tommy may be the same boat as Jimmy, but just doesn't realise it yet. As you might guess, this isn't a cheerful movie. It can be emotionally draining at times, the ending leaving you unsure of where Jimmy will go next, but it will always keep your interest. It is beautifully shot using the minimum lighting possible, as if mirroring the lack of light in Jimmy's life. The lack of a soundtrack is noticeable from the very start. It is slightly unnerving, and the ambiance from the surrounding area really adds to the atmosphere. The decision to keep the films one music track for the closing moments is a master stroke, and really adds to the power of these scenes.
Pretty much carrying the movie himself, Mullins' is fantastic as Jimmy. You see the toll this life has taken on him in everything he does, and he carries with him the air of a broken man at all times. In his monlogues to the camera, he really shines, letting all the pain come out as he imagines how different his life could have been. He also sells the relationship with Jimmy's father extremely well, which is no mean feat since he never actually appears, only mentioned and represented by a shot of a door framed through another doorway.
Pilgrim Hill does take a hefty emotional toll on you, but if you stick with it, you will be treated to a wonderfully put together and fascinating look at one man's tragic life.
