First shown in 2002, this television film about the 1972 Bloody Sunday atrocities in Derry, Northern Ireland, was a tour-de-force for James Nesbitt and a powerful production all round. Shot in a documentary cinéma vérité style, often using hand-held cameras, it traces the events that led up to the tragic incident when a protest march, led by civil rights activist Ivan Cooper, was fired upon by British troops, killing 13 protesters and wounding 14 more.
Nesbitt (pictured) is a revelation as Ivan Cooper. Arguably his best role to date, Nesbitt doesn't over-embellish things, initially keeping the portrayal understated, but responding strongly as the tragic events unfold. Tim Pigott-Smith is equally strong as the upright, stiff-upper-lip major in charge of the British operation that goes badly wrong.
Difficult viewing, but highly recommended.
Bloody Sunday is a Film programme that first aired in 2002 and has been classified a 15 certificate.
