Sometimes the best movies are a little hard to watch, and that’s the case with “Small Things Like These." This historical drama starring Cillian Murphy is masterfully made, but it’s certainly not a film created to entertain. But that doesn’t mean I don’t thoroughly recommend it all the same. It’s one of the most emotionally impactful flicks I watched in 2024 (and I saw more than 100 in theaters).
Despite its seasonal setting, “Small Things Like These” has flown under the radar with big-budget (and more accessible) Christmas flicks getting the spotlight. Now that this Tim Mielants-directed movie has arrived on premium video-on-demand streaming (you can watch with purchase on Amazon and Apple), I’m hoping a few more people will give it a chance over the holiday season.
It’s probably not a movie you want to watch with all the family on Christmas Day but if you’re looking for something that showcases the acting talent of Cillian Murphy (for my money, he’s even better here than he was in “Oppenheimer”), this slow-paced drama makes for essential viewing. Here’s why it’s such a powerful movie.
What is ‘Small Things Like These’ about?
Based on the Claire Keegan novel of the same name, “Small Things Like These” is set in ‘80s Ireland in the runup to Christmas. Bill Furlong (Murphy) is a well-respected family man, with a loving wife (Eileen Walsh), and five daughters. The salt-of-the-earth type works hard as a coach merchant.
Completing his deliveries one day, he discovers a young girl locked in the coal shed of the local Catholic convent. This leads to a shocking truth coming to light. Soon Bill learns that not only is the Catholic Church keeping dark secrets, but many of the townfolk are aware. Interspersed with these revelations are flashbacks that peel back Bill’s traumatic childhood.
Shining a spotlight on the Magdalene Laundries that operated across Ireland until the late 20th century, “Small Things Like These” is often hard to watch because while the characters are fiction, the situations they find themselves in are grounded in the country’s recent past. It's a tough but important watch.
Why you should stream ‘Small Things Like These’
Cillian Murphy’s performance as Bill Furlong is the driving force that keeps “Small Things Like These” beating. Murphy plays a hard-working man, but one that is haunted by the past, and struggling with a deep depression that bubbles under the surface. This performance isn’t as flashy as the one he gives in “Oppenheimer” but requires immense subtly, and the Oscar-winning Irish actor is more than up to the task of delivering such a nuanced performance.
I should warn prospective viewers that “Small Things Like These” is a very slow-paced drama. This is a deliberate choice from director Tim Mielant, but if you’re looking for big explosions of emotion, you won’t find them here. Instead, this movie takes a much softer approach. But it’s still capable of having an emotional impactful. It’s extremely melancholic throughout but builds to a satisfying conclusion that offers up some green shoots of hope.
“Small Things Like These” premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February of this year and made a big impression straight out of the gate. It currently holds a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes with Murphy’s performance being near-universally praised, and only the slow pacing drawing criticism (but only from a minority of critics). Its audience score is also pretty impressive at 81%. While this is lower, I believe it’s a strong figure for a movie that I could see being a little divisive as some viewers might struggle with its oppressive, bleak tone.
If you’re looking for a very different kind of Christmas-set movie this holiday season, one that will move you perhaps even to tears, you should definitely consider “Small Things Like These”. However, if you’re instead looking for something a bit more traditional, check out my guide to the best classic Christmas movies including “It’s A Wonderful Life” (of course!).
Watch "Small Things Like These" on Amazon and Apple now
