50 Dead Men Walking : The Plot to Infiltrate the I.R.A

Don’t let the title mislead you into thinking this just another "run-jump" movie, as I almost did. 

50 Dead Men Walking is the real life account of one Martin McGartland, a young thief living in the turbulent end of 1980’s in Belfast Ireland,  played by Jim Sturgess. 

Martin is a petty criminal, selling stolen merchandise to get by while trying to find balance between the seemingly endless conflict between British troops and the I.R.A that surrounds him.

50 Dead Men does a great job of painting the tapestry of Irish life during the height of “the troubles,” and works as almost a companion film to what was going on outside of the jail where Jerry Conlin of In the Name of the Father, was being kept, or the jail where Bobby Sands of Hunger was wasting away to nothing, all of which, are (very sadly) true stories.

This is one of the few telling’s of a predominant IRA-entangled figure that isn’t told from within a prison.  McGartland's conscientious objections are entangled with his need to survive, as is often a point lost in courtrooms.

The film follows the true story of McGartland, who was recruited as a British spy to retrieve invaluable information from within the IRA’s inner circle, specifically, where they plan to bomb next. Kingsley plays Fergus, a British agent sent in to recruit McGartland.  During this political courtship, despite their differences, the two men form something of a tenuous friendship.

But McGartland is not totally sold on the moral high-points handed down from Fegus.  He sees the hypocrisy on both sides of the conflict, and his inner monologue debates those exhausting questions of ethics: does the end, justify the means?

During all this, McGartland must also deal with the stress of becoming a father, and the constant worry of his love interest Lara, (played by the very engaging Natalie Press), who is being devoured by worry that at any minute Martin will fall to the two major outcomes of his lifestyle: prison or death.

50 Dead Men walking is a fine surprise in the sea of Netflix ho-hum films that usually star the likes of whichever wrestling superstar has a few days off to make a movie. 

The acting is strong and poignant, as is this true story, and the tension and anxiety builds ala The Departed.  Kingsley's performance is strong as well, if not more restrained than his performance in Sexy Beast, as is Rose McGowan's subtle performance.  

The real stand out performance here is Sturgess though, who seems to take on the roll with all the intensity required to elevate the story to the respect it deserves.

A great action film, and an insightful look at morals and war.