The Shadow of Violence 

Released Jul. 31, 2020

Available on various streaming services, including Netflix and Amazon Prime

I found this one by flicking. I must have been in a dark mood, for it was the title that prompted me to click on the trailer. And it was the trailer (see below), with its shadowy cinematography, that persuaded me to hit the Play button.

I’m glad I did. The Shadow of Violence is a good movie. Probably a very good movie. It may be one of the best movies I’ve seen all year.

It’s the story of a former boxer that goes to work as an enforcer for a local crime family, while trying to maintain a good relationship with his autistic son. What I liked best about it were the amazingly good performances by the three lead actors: Cosmo Jarvis as Arm, Niamh Algar as Ursula, and Barry Koeghan as Dymphna.

Jarvis, in particular, is astonishingly good. There is a scene in which we see him speaking on the phone for what must be two or three solid minutes. It is absolutely mesmerizing. It’s like watching Marlon Brando in Streetcar.

It’s interesting to note that The Shadow of Violence was previously titled Calm with Horses, a reference to the lead character’s relationship with horses. And, as one reviewer said, it is also a reference to “his sensitive soul.” That original title is far better than the new one. Why did they change it? They must have thought it would do a better job of attracting attention. Did it work? I don’t know. But it worked on me.

You can watch the trailer here.