Films About Ireland and England Watch Online
The relationship between Ireland and England has been a rich source of inspiration for filmmakers, exploring themes of history, conflict, identity, and love. From poignant dramas to light-hearted comedies, these films reflect the complexities of their intertwined cultures and histories. Here’s a curated list of notable films that depict the essence of Ireland and England, available for online viewing:
“Brooklyn”, 2015
Director: John Crowley
Set in the 1950s, this romantic drama follows a young Irish immigrant, Eilis Lacey, as she navigates her new life in Brooklyn, New York, while grappling with homesickness and the pull of her roots back in Ireland.
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters, Brid Brennan, Jane Brennan, Fiona Glascott, Jessica Paré, Eileen O'Higgins, Jenn Murray, Emily Bett Rickards, Eve Macklin, Mary O'Driscoll, Maeve McGrath, Nora-Jane Noone, Michael Zegen, Paulino Nunes, Hugh Gormley, Emma Lowe, Barbara Drennan, Gillian McCarthy, Art Campion, Eva Birthistle, James Corscadden, Samantha Munroe, Jane Wheeler, Adrien Benn, Alain Goulem, Max Walker, Iarla O'Lionaird, Ellis Rockburn, Erika Rosenbaum, Ellen David, Christian de la Cortina, James DiGiacomo, Tadhg MacMahon, Hudson Leblanc, Paul Stewart, Niamh McCann, Denis Conway, Karen Ardiff, Gary Lydon, Áine Ní Mhuirí, Mella Carron, Karen Belfo, Chantal Parent, François Pruneau, Nikky Smedley;
Production year: 2015;
Genre: drama, melodrama;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 117 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,5;
More information about the film “Brooklyn” on the website imdb.com
“The Commitments”, 1991
Director: Alan Parker
This musical comedy-drama showcases a group of working-class Dubliners who form a soul band. Their journey highlights the cultural landscape of Ireland while humorously addressing themes of ambition and friendship.
Starring: Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Dave Finnegan, Bronagh Gallagher, Félim Gormley, Glen Hansard, Dick Massey, Johnny Murphy, Ken McCluskey, Andrew Strong, Colm Meaney, Anne Kent, Andrea Corr, Gerard Cassoni, Ruth Fairclough, Lindsay Fairclough, Michael O'Reilly, Liam Carney, Ger Ryan, Mark O'Regan, Phelim Drew, Sean Hughes, Philip Bredin, Aoife Lawless, Lance Daly, Conor Malone, Jezz Bell, Colm MacConiomare, Emily Dawson, Dave Kane, Kristel Harris, Maria Place, Brian MacAodha, Tricia Smith, Canice William, Patrick Foy, Allan Murray, Jody Campbell, Eanna MacLiam, Philomena Kavanagh, Peter Rowen, Eamon O'Connor, Maura O'Malley, Blaise Smith, Derek Herbert, Owen O'Gorman, Pat Leavy, John Cronin;
Production year: 1991;
Genre: drama, comedy, music;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 118 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,6;
More information about the film “The Commitments” on the website imdb.com
“Pride”, 2014
Director: Matthew Warchus
Based on a true story, this film depicts the alliance between a group of LGBT activists in London and striking miners in Wales during the 1984 miners' strike. It beautifully captures the spirit of solidarity amidst social and political challenges.
Starring: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Paddy Considine, Andrew Scott, George MacKay, Joe Gilgun, Ben Schnetzer, Chris Overton, Faye Marsay, Freddie Fox, Jessica Gunning, Joshua Hill, Lisa Palfrey, Liz White, Monica Dolan, Abram Rooney, Jim McManus, Matthew Flynn, Lucy Timmons, Jordan Metcalfe, Roger Morlidge, Dean Ashton, Adam Ewan, Menna Trussler, Karina Fernandez, Jessie Cave, Will Haddington, Rhodri Meilir, Dion Lloyd, Nia Gwynne, Lee Shepherd, Mary-Anne Dymond, Sophie Evans, Dyfan Dwyfor, Jack Baggs, Johnny Gibbon, Kyle Rees, Bryan Parry, Ross Waiton, Joseph Wilkins, Laura Matthews, Christian Patterson, Deddie Davies, Bronwen Lewis, Olwen Medi, Jâms Thomas, Julie Barclay, Matthew Tennyson, Jaimi Barbakoff;
Production year: 2014;
Genre: drama, comedy, history;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 120 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,8;
More information about the film “Pride” on the website imdb.com
“Philomena”, 2013
Director: Stephen Frears
This poignant drama tells the story of a woman searching for her son, who was taken from her decades earlier at a Catholic convent in Ireland. The film explores themes of faith, forgiveness, and the impact of historical injustices.
Starring: Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Mare Winningham, Barbara Jefford, Ruth McCabe, Peter Hermann, Sean Mahon, Anna Maxwell Martin, Michelle Fairley, Wunmi Mosaku, Amy McAllister, Charlie Murphy, Cathy Belton, Kate Fleetwood, Charissa Shearer, Nika McGuigan, Rachel Wilcock, Rita Hamill, Tadhg Bowen, Saoirse Bowen, Harrison D'Ampney, D.J. McGrath, Simone Lahbib, Sara Stewart, Gary Lilburn, Charles Edwards, Nicholas Jones, Paris Arrowsmith, Marie Jones, Frankie McCafferty, Vaughn Johseph, George Fisher, Jordan King, Amber Batty, Martin Glyn Murray, Elliot Levey, Florence Keith-Roach, George Michael Rados, Fiaz Ali, Victoria Jane Appleton, Mai Arwas, Xavier Atkins, Eddie Bagayawa, Francesca Bennett, Charlie Berkeley, Hannah Blamires, Jill Buchanan, Paul Castleman, Grant Cee;
Production year: 2013;
Genre: drama, comedy;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 98 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,6;
“The Wind That Shakes the Barley”, 2006
Director: Ken Loach
Set during the Irish War of Independence, this historical drama follows two brothers who find themselves on opposing sides of a conflict. It provides a harrowing look at the personal toll of political strife.
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Pádraic Delaney, Liam Cunningham, Orla Fitzgerald, Mary O'Riordan, Mary Murphy, Laurence Barry, Damien Kearney, Frank Bourke, Myles Horgan, Martin Lucey, Aidan O'Hare, Shane Casey, John Crean, Máirtín de Cógáin, Keith Dunphy, Kiernan Hegarty, Gerard Kearney, Shane Nott, Kevin O'Brien, Gary McCarthy, Tim O'Mahon, Graham Browne, Owen Buckley, Aidan Fitzpatrick, Vince Hannington, Denis Kelleher, Colin McClery, Finbar O'Mahon, John Quinlan, Peggy Lynch, Noel O'Donovan, Peter O'Mahoney, Barry Bourke, Frank O'Sullivan, Diarmuid Ó'Dálaigh, Corina Gough, Roger Allam, Sabrina Barry, William Ruane, Danny Riordan, Peg Crowley, Fiona Lawton, Kieran Aherne, Clare Dineen, Sean McGinley, Tomas OhEalaithe, Nora Lynch, Diarmuid Ní Mheachair, Denis Conway;
Production year: 2006;
Genre: drama, war;
Age: 18+;
Duration: 127 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,5;
More information about the film “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” on the website imdb.com
“Love/Hate”, 2010
Director: David Caffrey, Anthony Byrne
While technically a television series, this gripping drama delves into the lives of Dublin's criminal underworld, highlighting the complexities of loyalty and betrayal within the backdrop of modern Ireland.
Starring: Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Killian Scott, Aoibhinn McGinnity, Charlie Murphy, Peter Coonan, Mark Dunne, Laurence Kinlan, Robert Sheehan, Ian Lloyd Anderson, Susan Loughnane, Aidan Gillen, Brian F. O'Byrne, Ruth Bradley, Ruth Negga, Dylan Stoeckhardt, Stephen O'Brien, Mary Murray, Lynn Rafferty, Kieran O'Reilly, John Connors, Caoilfhionn Dunne, Jason Barry, Ger Carey, Jake Ward, Siobhan Shanahan, Patrick Murphy, Mark Butler, Amy Shiels, Art Campion, Patrick Murray, Gavin Drea, Barry Keoghan, Peter O'Meara, Stephen Jones, Sean McGinley, Aaron Heffernan, Denise McCormack, Jim Murray, Damien Kearney, Paul Brannigan, Johnny Ward, Eve Macklin, Peter Gowen, Stephen Clinch, Alan Lennox, Briain Gleeson, Bernadette McKenna, Leroy Harris, Louisa Harland, James Ward;
Production year: 2010;
Genre: drama, crime;
Rating: IMDB: 8,5;
More information about the film “Love/Hate” on the website imdb.com
“In the Name of the Father”, 1993
Director: Jim Sheridan
Based on the true story of the Guildford Four, this powerful film illustrates the wrongful imprisonment of a man accused of an IRA bombing in England, sparking a broader commentary on justice and identity.
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Pete Postlethwaite, Emma Thompson, John Lynch, Mark Sheppard, Beatie Edney, Frank Harper, Britta Smith, Corin Redgrave, Gerard McSorley, Alison Crosbie, Philip King, Anthony Brophy, Frankie McCafferty, Paul Warriner, Julian Walsh, Stuart Wolfenden, Jo Connor, Karen Carlisle, Seamus Moran, Billy Byrne, Maureen McBride, Jane Nolan, Laurence Griffin, Jason Murtagh, Kelly McKeavney, Joanna Irvine, Fiona Daly, Catherine Dunne, Anna Meegan, Marie Jones, Leah McCullagh, Saffron Burrows, Jamie Harris, Don Baker, Barbara Mulcahy, Mick Tohill, Peter Sheridan Sr., Joe McPartland, Stanley Townsend, Tim Perrin, Tony Denham, Rob Spendlove, Phil Davis, Martin Murphy, Richard Graham, Oliver Maguire, Maurice Kehoe, Rachael Dowling;
Production year: 1993;
Genre: drama, crime, biography;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 133 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,1;
More information about the film “In the Name of the Father” on the website imdb.com
“The Guard”, 2011
Director: John Michael McDonagh
This dark comedy features an unorthodox Irish policeman who teams up with an FBI agent to take down a drug trafficking ring. The film cleverly blends humor with a look at cultural differences between Ireland and America.
Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Mark Strong, Liam Cunningham, Fionnula Flanagan, David Wilmot, Laurence Kinlan, Katarina Cas, Dominique McElligott, Gary Lydon, Paraic Nialand, John Patrick Beirne, Liam O'Conghaile, Christopher Kilmartin, Rory Keenan, Declan Mannlen, Mícheál Óg Lane, Owen Sharpe, Wale Ojo, Mark O'Halloran, Darren Healy, Conor Moloney, Laura Hitchings, Sarah Greene, Sharon Kearney, David Pearse, Dermot Healy, Eamonn Olwill, Yuyang Sheilds, Pat Shortt, Gay McKeon, Mary Corcoran, Colm Gannon, Johnny McDonagh, Dominick Hewitt, Giedrius Nagys, Gary Robinson, Alan Bates;
Production year: 2011;
Genre: thriller, comedy, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 96 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,3;
More information about the film “The Guard” on the website imdb.com
“Once”, 2007
Director: John Carney
A modern musical set in Dublin, this film tells the story of a street musician and a Czech immigrant who bond over their shared love of music. It beautifully captures the magic of love and creativity against the backdrop of urban Ireland.
Starring: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová, Hugh Walsh, Gerard Hendrick, Alaistair Foley, Geoff Minogue, Bill Hodnett, Danuse Ktrestova, Darren Healy, Mal Whyte, Marcella Plunkett, Niall Cleary, Wiltold Owski, Krzysztos Tiotka, Tomek Glowacki, Attila Kouvacs, Sean Miller, Pat McGrath, Praghosa, Kate Haugh, Senan Haugh, Catherine Hansard, Pete Short, Fergus O'Farrell, Bob Hoban, Martina Akindojctimi, Ruslan Mannanu, Francis Usanga, Prince Tylot Khumaho, Joe Adebe, Bernard Gibsenen, Paul Clarke, Marie Walsh, Dave Cleary, Keith Byrne;
Production year: 2007;
Genre: drama, melodrama, music;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 86 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,8;
More information about the film “Once” on the website imdb.com
“Michael Collins”, 1996
Director: Neil Jordan
This historical biopic focuses on the life of Michael Collins, a key figure in the struggle for Irish independence. It examines the political complexities and personal sacrifices involved in the quest for freedom.
Starring: Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn, Stephen Rea, Alan Rickman, Julia Roberts, Ian Hart, Richard Ingram, John Kenny, Ronan McCairbre, Jer O'Leary, Brendan Gleeson, Stuart Graham, Sean McGinley, Gerard McSorley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Charles Dance, Owen O'Neill, Owen Roe, Ian McElhinney, Mike Dwyer, Martin Murphy, Gary Whelan, Frank O'Sullivan, Frank Laverty, Liam De Staic, Paul Bennett, Claude Clancy, Paul Hickey, Tom Murphy, David Gorry, Gary Lydon, David Wilmot, Joe Hanley, Colm Coogan, Aiden Grennell, Dave Seymour, Tony Clarkin, Luke Hayden, Gary Powell, Max Hafler, Laura Brennan, Aidan Kelly, Jim Isherwood, Michael James Ford, Mal Whyte, Martin Phillips, Aisling O'Sullivan, Malcolm Douglas, Brian «Joker» Mulvey, Frank Patterson;
Production year: 1996;
Genre: thriller, drama, war, biography;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 133 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,1;
More information about the film “Michael Collins” on the website imdb.com
These films not only entertain but also provide insight into the rich cultural tapestry of Ireland and England, making them well worth watching online.
In the realm of films about Ireland and England available to watch online, one can find a captivating blend of history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes. From heartwarming tales of love and friendship set against the backdrop of the Irish countryside to gritty narratives exploring the complexities of life in urban England, these films offer a glimpse into the rich tapestry of these two nations. Whether it's the lyrical storytelling of “Once” or the raw intensity of “Trainspotting,” these films transport viewers on a cinematic journey that leaves a lasting impression. So, grab a bowl of popcorn, settle into your favorite armchair, and let these films whisk you away to the enchanting worlds of Ireland and England.
