In the Land of Saints and Sinners (2023)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A former hitman living a quiet life in a coastal Irish village must confront the consequences of his past when a group of IRA members seeking refuge arrives.
The story
In 1974, during the Troubles, four members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army—Doireann, Conan, Séamus, and Curtis—flee to the coastal town of Glencolmcille, County Donegal, after a bombing in Belfast. They seek refuge from the law in a local pub and a nearby shack. Nearby, Finbar Murphy, a former contract killer living a quiet life under a false identity, becomes aware of the presence of the fugitives. When he discovers that one of the men, Curtis, is potentially endangering a local child, Finbar is forced to confront the dangerous reality of the armed group and the consequences of his own violent past.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1974, during the Troubles, four IRA members—Doireann, Conan, Séamus, and Curtis—flee to Glencolmcille, County Donegal, after a bombing in Belfast. They hide in a local pub and a nearby shack. Finbar Murphy, a former contract killer living as a book-seller, discovers that Curtis is abusing the daughter of his neighbor, Sinéad. Finbar confronts the situation by luring Curtis into a forest, where he is eventually killed by Kevin, a younger man working for the local crime boss, Robert McQue. Doireann eventually discovers the truth about the men's whereabouts and confronts Robert, killing him. She then tracks down Finbar. After a tense standoff involving a bomb and a shootout at the local pub, the situation culminates in a final confrontation. Finbar and Doireann meet at a church, where she dies from her wounds. Finbar buries her next to her brother, and he eventually leaves the village, leaving behind a copy of 'Crime and Punishment' for the local officer.
- First release year
- 2023
- Runtime (minutes)
- 106
- Production countries
- Ireland
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Robert Lorenz
- Writers
- Mark Michael McNally · writer; Terry Loane · writer
- Cast and characters
- Liam Neeson · Finbar Murphy; Kerry Condon · Doireann; Jack Gleeson · Kevin; Colm Meaney · Vinnie; Ciarán Hinds · Robert McQue
- Genres
- action; thriller
- Themes
- consequences of violence; identity; the impact of the Troubles
- Tone and mood
- tense; gritty
- Setting
- Glencolmcille, County Donegal, Ireland in 1974.
- Premise and plot tags
- action; thriller; historical fiction; crime
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising the performances and setting while others criticized the writing.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 60 · scale: 100 · review count: 14
- Production trivia
- This is Liam Neeson's second collaboration with director Robert Lorenz.; The film was primarily shot in County Donegal and Dublin.; The film was released in limited theaters in the US in March 2024.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…