Small Things Like These: quiet but not any less hard-hitting for it, Tim Mielants’ drama tells the story of a hard-working and caring family man, who bumps into an open secret about the local convent in the Irish village where he lives. His own history is also revisited, as that interplays with the present. Cillian Murphy plays the protagonist, a quiet and timid man, with great subtlety. As his wife, Eileen Walsh is fine but not given much to do. As the Mother superior, Emily Watson plays well with her character’s cold threat and power. Aesthetically, the film is simple and effective: director of photography Frank van den Eeden is elegant with his camera placement and lits the scenes beautifully and austerely. Production designer Paki Smith and costume designer Alison McCosh credibly recreate the 1980s.