Aarcflick

Given that this true-crime thriller, set in Belfast, is based on real-life events that occurred in 2004, it sounds like material that could have yielded a top-tier feature film—gripping and high-impact. However, the result feels lackluster and strikes an almost apologetic tone; it has been clumsily assembled and blandly directed by Colin McIvor, whose filmography—comprising TV work and low-budget comedies—reveals no particular aptitude for this genre. The two male leads, Eddie Marsan and Éanna Hardwicke, acquit themselves well, though one has to wonder why Marsan—undoubtedly a character actor of high repute—was chosen over a local actor. Was everyone else perhaps busy filming *Game of Thrones* spin-offs? Marsan does a pretty good job nailing the Belfast accent; nevertheless, his presence feels somewhat understated, making him an odd choice for the role of Richard Murray—a buttoned-up bank manager forced to cooperate with the robbers when his wife, Celine (Eva Birthistle), is kidnapped....