A private investigator is hired to find a missing girl, but the more he digs, the deeper the rabbit hole goes.
Plain.
Not much to say, really. And that, in and of itself, says a lot. From a filmmaking perspective, Fintan Connolly’s Barber is competently made but largely unremarkable. No particular cinematic technique stands out. The directing, editing, cinematography, and sound all do their jobs without ever drawing attention to themselves. Nothing is bad, but very little is memorable either.
The story is a different matter. Unfortunately, we have seen it before. Not necessarily in cinema (which we have), but also in real life. In newspapers. On television. Through scandals involving public figures, corporations, institutions, and individuals whom society trusted, voted for, admired, or supported. Sad. Horrific. But true.
That reality gives the narrative a degree of weight that it might otherwise lack. So why watch it? The answer is simple: Aidan Gillen. From The Wire (2002-2008) to Game of Thrones (2011-2017), he brings intelligence and gravitas to every role, whether playing calculating manipulators, authority figures, or deeply flawed human beings. Here, he once again elevates material that might have struggled without him.
I also appreciated the film’s handling of Ireland’s changing social landscape. The subplot surrounding queer identity serves as a hopeful message of how far society has come, particularly in a country where such issues were once deeply contentious. Likewise, the film touches upon themes that resonate with the wider impact of the #MeToo movement, giving voice to victims and exposing predatory behaviour that for too long remained hidden or ignored.
These elements provide the film with its strongest emotional and moral foundations. Having written extensively about Irish thrillers and horrors, though, this one is arguably the weakest I’ve seen.
Overall, Barber is one of those films you watch, forget your problems for a couple of hours, and then head off to bed. Its intentions are noble, even if its execution never fully rises above familiarity.
And no, budget is not the issue. If films such as Monolith (2022): https://kaygazpro.com/monolith-2022/ have proven anything, it is that compelling storytelling has never been a question of money.
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