The hard-hitting drama, released in 2024, is based on Claire Keegan’s 2021 novel and adapted for the screen by Enda Walsh, who previously collaborated with Cillian on the 2001 coming-of-age film, Disco Pigs. 

© Lionsgate
Cillian Murphy stars in Small Things Like These

Set in 1985, the story follows a devoted father of five girls and a coalman in County Wexford who uncovers disturbing secrets kept by a local convent.

The film was met with a flurry of four-star reviews upon its release, with many critics praising Cillian’s brilliant performance. Plus, the drama holds an impressive 94 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, so it’s safe to say the film was a big hit with audiences.

Ahead of its arrival on Netflix, find out all you need to know about Small Things Like These below.

What is Small Things Like These about?

Set in a small town in County Wexford, Ireland, in 1985, the film follows dedicated father Bill Furlong, who works as a coal merchant to support himself, his wife and his five daughters.

© Enda Bowe/Lionsgate
The film was first released in 2024

One morning, while out delivering coal at the local convent, Bill discovers a shivering girl locked in a shed.

From there, he discovers disturbing secrets kept by the convent, a ‘Magdalen laundry’ run by Mother Superior Sister Mary (Emily Watson), that forces him to confront his own difficult past and the complicit silence of a town controlled by the Catholic Church.

Who stars in Small Things Like These?

Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders, Oppenheimer) stars as Bill Furlong, alongside Eileen Walsh (The Children Act) as Eileen Furlong, Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones) as Mrs. Wilson and Emily Watson (Apple Tree Yard) as Sister Mary.

© Alamy Stock Photo
Emily Watson plays Sister Mary in the film

Other cast members include Clare Dunne (The Wheel of Time) as Sister Carmel, Peter Claffey (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms) as Barry and Agnes O’Casey (Black Doves) as Sarah Furlong.

What have critics and viewers said about the film?

The drama has been hailed by viewers as “compelling” and “phenomenal”.

In an online review on IMDb, one person wrote: “My eyes were absolutely glued to the screen from beginning to end while watching this film. Cillian Murphy is absolutely amazing in this film,” while another described the drama as a “little gem with great performances, beautiful cinematography, superb melancholic editing and painfully heart-touching music.”

© Getty Images
Cillian Murphy was praised by critics for his performance

Meanwhile, the film received positive reviews from critics, with The Guardian handing out four stars, describing the drama as “piercingly painful,” while Empire also gave the film four stars, hailing Cillian’s performance as magnetic.