Lenny Abrahamson, the interesting and highly talented director of Adam & Paul and Garage, here delivers a superbly observed character study about a boy who changes his life through one devastating mistake.
Richard is a young South Dublin athlete and soon-to-be university fresher. He isn’t the world’s nicest person (he’s homophobic and obnoxiously cocky), but he isn’t evil. Or is he? What Richard does at a party one night alters his safe, comfortable world in the extreme, and his decision to be untruthful provides the meat of the drama in the final third of the movie.
The acting here is of the highest order. Leading actor Jack Reynor has attracted the attention of Hollywood with his careful and expertly pitched performance. He has been given a leading role in Michael Bay’s Transformers 4. God help him.
This is a compelling and emotionally articulate drama that perfectly encapsulates the unfortunate sense of middle class complacency and the refusal to admit guilt that I fear a number of young people shelter behind when things go very wrong.
What Richard Did (2012), directed by Lenny Abrhamson, is released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD from Artificial Eye, Certificate 15.
