FX’s ‘Say Nothing’ Is a Moving, Empathetic Assessment of the Troubles: TV Review

As a former resident of Northern Ireland who lived through the Troubles, I found “Say Nothing” to be a gripping and poignant portrayal of that tumultuous period in our history. The series managed to capture the complexities and contradictions of the conflict, offering a nuanced view of both the IRA’s cause and their atrocities.

The 30-year long conflict called “The Troubles” often serves as a relevant and optimistic comparison to the ongoing hostilities in Israel-Palestine. In this context, the FX limited series titled “Say Nothing,” which is based on journalist Patrick Radden Keefe’s nonfiction account published in 2018, seems strangely appropriate given the current situation. With a year passed since the latest Middle East war with no resolution in sight, “Say Nothing” offers a heartbreaking, compassionate, and balanced examination of a similar self-reinforcing cycle of violence from recent history – and the sacrifices needed to bring it to an end.

Based on the work of Joshua Zetumer (“Patriots Day”), the nine-part series “Say Nothing” largely adheres to Keefe’s reporting. It delves into the human toll of The Troubles, a conflict that took place in Northern Ireland between members of the Irish Republican Army and English authorities who were allied with the region’s Protestant majority. Catholics, a minority subjected to widespread discrimination within Northern Ireland, felt persecuted, while Protestants feared potential unification that could put them in a similar position. However, since Jean McConville (Judith Roddy), whose disappearance and murder serve as the basis for the story, is absent from it, and her 10 children were young at the time, the main characters driving the narrative and effectively serving as protagonists are the IRA members themselves, particularly Brendan Hughes (Anthony Boyle) and Dolours Price (Lola Petticrew).

Hughes and Price were both part of the Belfast Project, an oral history initiative where truthful accounts about the IRA’s guerrilla warfare were given in exchange for a promise to keep the recordings confidential until after the speaker’s death. This historical retelling serves as a useful narrative structure for Zetumer and his writers, since older portrayals of Dolours (played by Maxine Peake) and Brendan (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) share their past actions, seen through the lens of hindsight and tinged with regret. Price later bitterly remarks that her entire Republican upbringing was a lie, although the exact meaning of this becomes clear only after her story has been fully told.

In “Say Nothing,” the most daring scenes are saved for the last episode, where the creative liberties of fiction enable a more detailed portrayal of McConville’s final moments and the potential killers, beyond what author Keefe could describe. However, the overall truth about Jean’s fate is evident: it’s highly probable that the IRA, fearful of British informants, wrongly accused an innocent woman of spying in Belfast’s Divis Flats, a known Republican stronghold. The series effectively explores the factors driving such extreme actions and the devastating impact they have on both perpetrators and victims. This is a topic that many might find daunting, but “Say Nothing” and its talented cast provide a compelling narrative about the IRA’s movement without condoning their atrocities.

Following a teenage Dolours being brutally attacked during a peaceful demonstration by a mob, she, along with her sister Marian (Hazel Doupe), embark on an armed rebellion, much like their father, aunt, and other relatives had done previously. The Prices soon gain media attention due to their daring exploits, such as robbing a bank while disguised as nuns, an operation that yielded minimal cash but significant publicity. “Say Nothing” immerses the audience in the thrill and adventure of the Prices’ escapades, mirroring their initial excitement which sustains them through the difficult times ahead.

The main associate of Dolours and Brendan is none other than Gerry Adams (portrayed by Josh Finan), who later became the leader of Sinn Féin and a key figure in the Good Friday Agreement. To this day, he maintains that he has no ties to the IRA, a claim made clear at the start of each episode with a disclaimer before the end credits roll. Alongside Adams, Hughes and the Prices plot bombings, assassinations during daylight hours, and strictly enforce a merciless internal order, often having Dolours drive condemned prisoners into the Republic of Ireland. On the other side, British officer Frank Kitson, played by Rory Kinnear in “The Diplomat,” employs the same harsh counterinsurgency tactics he used on colonial subjects in Kenya. The series “Say Nothing” acknowledges the legitimacy of the IRA’s grievances but demonstrates that such dedication can be both noble and perilous when directed at the wrong target.

The sixth and particularly intense segment of “Say Nothing” portrays the Prices’ prolonged hunger strike during their incarceration in England, where they orchestrated a plan to detonate four separate bombs in London’s city center. This hour serves as a significant milestone; the Prices succeeded in their quest for relocation to their homeland, though they would continue to serve their sentence for eight years. Upon their release, “Say Nothing” transitions from the heated combat to the lasting effects of trauma — and from prolonged conflict to political negotiations, a change symbolized by Adams’ shift into politics.

The latter part of “Say Nothing” carries its most poignant and intricate content, yet it seems that these crucial aspects are given less attention than they warrant. While this may be a point of frustration, it’s also a reflection of the show’s high quality, as one can never have too much of good television. The relationship between Dolours and Stephen Rea (Damien Molony) develops, but we are shown only glimpses of their marriage, missing an opportunity to delve into the effects of Dolours’ growing addiction. As the peace process unfolds, the adult McConville children pursue a public search for their mother’s remains, yet we gain little insight into their lives since the family was torn apart. Adams’ transformation happens off-screen, a decision that aligns with a character meant to be enigmatic, concealing much of his past in pursuit of a brighter tomorrow.

The McConville case unearths old memories as excavators search for Jean’s remains on a public beach, causing Dolours to question if her fight, imprisonment, and actions that led to war crimes were meaningless. (The IRA viewed the Troubles as a battle against foreign occupation, seeing the British as a domestic insurgency.) The introspection is essential yet less captivating than the path taken by Adams. The book’s title, “Say Nothing,” signifies the strict code of silence enforced by militants that can be deadly. However, it also implies the silence demanded from militants for progress and to move beyond sectarian violence. The narrative in “Say Nothing” suggests that peace and justice don’t always coincide; perpetrators must be accepted back into society after surrendering their weapons, leaving victims without a sense of true resolution. Silence sometimes comes at a cost, but it can also be the cost, even though the book never definitively decides if it’s worth paying for this silence. This thoughtful approach contrasts with absolutism.

All nine episodes of “Say Nothing” are now available to stream on Hulu.

2024-11-14 17:21

FX’s ‘Say Nothing’ Is a Moving, Empathetic Assessment of the Troubles: TV Review

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