Paul Mescal portrays "Brian," who comes back home to western Ireland and receives a friendly greeting from his mother, "Aileen" (Emily Watson), but a cooler reception from his father, "Con" (Declan O'Hara). The reasons for his return from Australia aren’t explained, though he quickly decides to take over his grandfather’s oyster farm. Despite lacking experience, he starts the work, using some oysters obtained without permission from the seafood factory where his mother is employed and seems hopeful about succeeding. Things proceed smoothly until "Aileen" goes to the police station one evening and learns of a serious accusation against her son. She initially reacts with strong denial, as would be expected, but as events unfold, she begins to question whether he might have committed the act he’s accused of. The plot itself feels rather flimsy, frankly. While there's some lovely cinematography showcasing the scenery, and many extended scenes featuring characters smoking cigarettes, it doesn't quite manage to captivate. The story feels disjointed and unpersuasive; although Watson delivers a strong performance as a woman grappling with conflicting feelings, Mescal’s contribution is limited to his affable persona, and the central themes feel insufficiently explored. It does provide insight into the challenges faced by people trying to earn a living in this tough landscape, and I might be more cautious about eating Irish oysters now, but it seems like too much attention was given to the cast list instead of crafting a story with substance and detail that could truly engage viewers. It’s worth seeing, especially since it's co-produced by BBC Film, so it will likely appear on television around Christmas.

Source on TMDB