CrimeDrama

Calm with Horses

In darkest rural Ireland, ex-boxer Douglas 'Arm' Armstrong has become the feared enforcer for the drug-dealing Devers family, whilst also trying to be a good father to his autistic five-year-old son, Jack. Torn between these two families, Arm's loyalties are truly tested when he is asked to kill for the first time.

Release Date : 2020-03-13

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : DMC FilmFilm4 ProductionsElement PicturesFís Éireann/Screen Ireland

Production Country : IrelandUnited Kingdom

Alternative Titles : The Shadow of Violence

Cast

Character Name : Dympna

Original Name : Barry Keoghan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Arm

Original Name : Cosmo Jarvis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ursula

Original Name : Niamh Algar

Gender : Female

Character Name : Paudi

Original Name : Ned Dennehy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hector

Original Name : David Wilmot

Gender : Male

Character Name : June

Original Name : Simone Kirby

Gender : Female

Character Name : Rob

Original Name : Anthony Welsh

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fatima

Original Name : Roisin O'Neill

Gender : Female

Character Name : Charlie

Original Name : Hazel Doupe

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lisa

Original Name : Toni O'Rourke

Gender : Female

Character Name : Fannigan

Original Name : Liam Carney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Needles

Original Name : Ryan McParland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Dory

Original Name : Ally Ní Chiárain

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jack

Original Name : Kiljan Moroney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Larry

Original Name : Brian Doherty

Gender : Male

Character Name : Brandon

Original Name : Rory Quinn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pool Hall Lad

Original Name : Peter Newington

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maire Mirkin

Original Name : Brid Brennan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Rude Passerby

Original Name : Barry Keane

Gender : Male

Character Name : Limerick Thug (uncredited)

Original Name : Lee Byford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Christina Devers (uncredited)

Original Name : Peggy-Anne Knight

Gender : Male

Character Name : Night Clubber (uncredited)

Original Name : Christopher Livingstone

Gender : Male

Character Name : Limerick Thug (uncredited)

Original Name : Stephen McDade

Gender : Male

Character Name : Limerick Thug (uncredited)

Original Name : Stephen McGowan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clubber (uncredited)

Original Name : John Paul O'Driscoll

Gender : Male

Reviews

SWITCH.

@maketheSWITCH

2021-06-23

'Calm with Horses' is definitely engrossing and heavy shit. There's some savage inner violence going on within the main character; the barbarity on the screen can't match the turmoil that's going on in his head. It's a strikingly accomplished portrait of a broken soul hauling himself back up from rock bottom. - Jake Watt Read Jake's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-calm-with-horses-a-savage-and-sensitive-irish-crime-drama

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2025-05-29

Ned Dennehy is one of those character actors who never really owns a film but always make quite an impression - especially if his part requires a degree of menacing unpleasantness. Well here he delivers that in spades as we follow the life of his enforcer “Arm” (Cosmo Jarvis). He has been instructed to deal with a former family affiliate who has raped one of his “Devers” family. Thing is, though, “Arm” is a violent man - a former boxer who is no stranger to prison - but he isn’t a killer. Indeed, he is determined to try avoid carrying out his instructions as well as to patch things up with his ex-wife - if only because he wants to spend more time with his gradually alienated autistic son “Jack” (the scene stealing (Kiljan Moroney). Egged on constantly by his brutal and manipulative puppet-master “Dympna” (Barry Keoghan), the young man starts to feel even more conflicted and suffers the consequences as he realises that loyalty counts for nothing unless it delivers unconditionally to a family of unforgiving thugs. Jarvis is on great form here too, as is Keoghan showing us his mastery of the flighty yet odious son of a family all too used to getting their way. The violence isn’t especially graphic, it’s more implied - and that’s quite effective in this rather powerful look at how rural life in Ireland might unfold amidst an almost Dickensian social structure. Original? Well no, the story isn’t especially new or innovative but it’s the characterisation of the torn man with the muscle who must find a new sort of courage if his life is ever to improve that stands out. It’s not an easy watch, but it’s bleakness and grittiness helps create something at times touchingly authentic.