R: June 30th, 2017 | R: 95 minutes | R: PG-13
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Johnathan Jimenez's Review.
A movie centered on the final resolution of “The Troubles” – the brutal conflict in Northern
Ireland – ends up suffering from its own troubles. The title of The Journey may inspire images of
an exciting, epic trip, but unfortunately there is little excitement to be found in this political
drama.
Hoping to solidify the end of The Troubles and to reunite Northern Ireland, The Journey centers
around the real-life story of Ian Paisley, a stubborn and fiery evangelical protestant preacher
adamant against making any concessions for anti-United Kingdom demonstrators, and Martin
McGuinness, a radical supporter of the Irish reunification movement and former leader in the
Irish Republican Party. On the verge of reaching a resolution for joint leadership, Martin
McGuinness volunteers to join Ian Paisley on a road trip. Despite the two formerly refusing to
speak to one another, the two must endure a several hour long trip in order to reconcile what
makes them different and discover what similarities they share.
For fans of historical political dramas like The Iron Lady, Argo, or Charlie Wilson’s War, The
Journey falls far short of its potential. A movie revolving around the barbaric yet long-lasting
explosive Northern Irish conflict offers plenty of material for a riveting and compelling film. Yet
instead of delving into the backgrounds of two complex leaders or even into the background of
The Troubles, this biopic instead opts to confine itself to the back of a van for the entire
duration of the film.
In addition to feeling claustrophobic, The Journey lacks the material to carry an hour and a half
film. The motivations of the characters are established quickly, leaving the rest of the film to just
focus on a very slow-moving conversation between two politicians. Yet even as the film was on
the verge of a dramatic moment, the conversation would turn into a less-interest subplot that
sought to humanize and deepen the characters but that unintentionally removed any true
drama. The film confined itself into a small space and it had difficulty trying to break itself out of
its own limits. Without its self-imposed constraints, there may have been a much more
compelling and comprehensive film as it explored the characters’ histories and the history of the
nation as a whole. In essence, The Journey suffers from not abiding by the age-old rule of show
not tell.
History offers rich storylines, complex characters, and a channel to inform its audience of world-
changing events. Sadly, The Journey seems like a superficial and slow look into a major event in
world history. To truly appreciate the events of the film, it would probably be more beneficial to
read about it in a history book as The Journey does not truly capture the essence and drama of
the events as they actually occurred.
Rating: 2 out of 5