The Journey

It's 2006. Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern have gathered both sides of the Northern Ireland conflict to negotiate the eventual Good Friday Agreement. Ian Paisley (Timothy Spall) is the rigid firebrand loyalist preacher. Martin McGuinness (Colm Meaney) is the public face of the IRA. They represent the far sides of the conflict and have never spoken with each other. Ian needs to return home for his 50th wedding anniversary. Martin insists on joining him as protocol and more importantly, as the last chance to talk to him man-to-man with the only hope to get a yes to the agreement. Jack (Freddie Highmore) is their talkative driver. In reality, he's a British agent operating under Harry Patterson (John Hurt).

This story imagines that journey. That's the opening text and it's a mistake. Essentially, it's saying that it's fictional which is fine but it doesn't need to be proclaimed on screen. It takes some of the tension right out of the movie and the ending is already known. As for the story, it has some good turns but I almost wish for a simple inside-the-car three hander. It's the actors and it would be interesting to do My Dinner with Andre in the back seat. Spall and Meaney are great. Even Highmore is fine in doing a bumbling driver. It's a compelling what-if story for the politically-minded.