QUIRKE
****
Whiskey soaked, mysterious and somewhat gloomy Celtic noir.
FILM: Gabriel Byrne is the title character, a pathologist in Dublin in the 1950s. So the obvious plot point is that he is going to investigate murders. But it turns out to be so much more than Crossing Jordan revised for a previous era.
What we get is not only character driven, but also a fascinating glimpse into Irish city life, with a bit of Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1950s.
The cinematography (which emphasises the use of natural light wherever possible) goes a long way towards establishing Dublin as an Edwardian city of elegant furnishings, dark alleys, smokey saloons and secrets.
While we do get bodies on the cold slab in the basement, the focus is not on the cutting or lab work, but rather Quirke’s curious nature which takes him outside and into people’s homes to ask questions.
The first film sets the tone – Quirke investigates the death of a young woman who seems to have something to do with his own family. Throughout all three episodes this trend of a probe having some bearing on his family life plays out.
Quirke is the adopted son of Judge Garret Griffin (Michael Gambon), brother to a doctor, Malachy Griffin (Nick Dunning) and uncle to wannabe rebellious Phoebe (Aisling Francioso).
We never get to know his first name, but we do get to know that he is an alcoholic who hides his pain behind a certain level of detachment from those around him.
As his personal backstory unfolds Quirke becomes a sort of olden day poster boy for the Catholic Church in Ireland’s questionable legacy.
Ultimately Quirke will frustrate viewers used to fast-paced crime thrillers, but the faithful period adaptation takes its time to unpack the complex characters, which is rewarding in its own right.
SPECIAL FEATURES: None. – Theresa Smith