'71

Belfast, 1971 – The unit of young English soldier Gary (Jack O'Connell) is sent to Northern Ireland to support the local police on a routine assignment. But their very first mission goes wrong: separated from his comrades, Gary tries to return to his unit – and finds himself fearing for his life in the face of angry Irish protesters. Only a few residents are willing to actually help him... “'71” is a thriller vibrating with intensity that throws the viewer into the midst of the turmoil of the Northern Ireland conflict. From the perspective of young British soldier Gary Hook, an oppressive game of cat and mouse unfolds in Belfast, which in 1971 seems like a powder keg about to explode. Lead actor Jack O'Connell delivers a strong, understated performance. The tension stems primarily from the gloomy atmosphere, the nerve-wracking chase scenes, and the immediate, physically palpable danger his character faces in this realistically depicted chaos. “The war film focuses primarily on the perspective of the main character and impressively depicts a scenario of complete disorientation and threat, in which violence has spread like a plague through the streets of the city. A political contextualization is left out.” (Lexikon des Internationalen Films)