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Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)

Director: Kari Skogland

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Synopsis

An informant is unearthed and kidnapped by the IRA in this true story based on Martin McGartland’s autobiography. Stars Ben Kingsley as a British Services handler.

Movie review

From Time Out New York

An adaptation of Martin McGartland’s life as an IRA informant, Kari Skogland’s flashy yet dead-on-arrival drama turns Belfast’s backstreet battlefields into music-video backgrounds. Watch McGartland (Sturgess) contact his British handler, “Fergus” (Kingsley), amid a set design of high-end debris; the usual violence in the name of “the cause” is sure to be artfully lit. God forbid anything even slightly suspenseful or significant should happen without revved-up ’80s Irish rock blasting over the soundtrack. Ben Kingsely’s intenser-than-thou glaring can’t counteract such laziness, or explain the vestigial presence of Rose McGowan as a tarted-up enforcer who’s all hips and hair.

Author: David Fear 2009-08-18 18:08:15

Time Out New York Issue 725: August 20 - 26, 2009

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Fifty Dead Men Walking

Cast & crew

Director: Kari Skogland

Cast: Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, Kevin Zegers, Natalie Press, Rose McGowan

Genre(s): Action/Adventure, Thrillers

Rated: R

Duration: 117 mins

US Release: Aug 21 2009

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