In a windswept fishing village, a mother is torn between protecting her beloved son and her own sense of right and wrong. A film by Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer, starring Emily Watson, Aisling Franciosi, and Paul Mescal.

Aileen (Emily Watson), who manages a seafood processing plant in a fishing village, reunites with her son Brian (Paul Mescal) who has returned from Australia at the funeral of Mark, son of Marry (Marion O’Dwyer).

Aileen is surprised by her son’s sudden return home, having never heard from him regarding his whereabouts or what he had been doing while away. Though Brian remains tight-lipped about his troubles, Aileen feels joy in her heart at having the family together again. Brian expresses his desire to revive the family’s oyster farm, which had been abandoned during his absence from the village.

But it’s not easy to restart the oyster farm. The operation requires oysters as bait to begin with, but Brian has returned empty-handed. This leads Aileen to secretly steal oysters from her factory to help her son. Meanwhile, unemployed Brian resorts to stealing fish from other fishermen’s catches to sell for cash.

One night, Aileen and Brian go drinking at a local pub where they run into Sarah (Aisling Franciosi), Brian’s childhood friend. As Brian attempts to rekindle their teenage romance, Aileen decides to head home alone.

The next day, Aileen receives a call from the police about a rape allegation against Brian. Brian claims he was home with his mother all night after they returned from the pub together. The police seek confirmation from Aileen and ask if she’s willing to testify in court. Believing in her son’s good character and having never known him to have problems with women before, she lies to the police, corroborating Brian’s story that he was home with her all night.

Soon, everyone at the factory and in the village learns about Sarah’s rape allegation against Brian. Her situation worsens when the court dismisses the case due to lack of physical evidence, especially after Aileen’s testimony confirming Brian was home that night. This leads many villagers to believe Sarah fabricated the whole story.

The film’s atmosphere and storytelling are captivating, with a notable approach of letting viewers imagine past events without using any flashbacks. We’re left to wonder what actually happened with Brian, an only child, that led him to abandon both his home and the family business. There must have been something that caused a serious rift within the family. His father’s indifferent reaction to his return stands in stark contrast to his mother’s joy, who hopes the family can return to the way things were before.

Brian’s story arc is intriguing, and although the character might seem somewhat one-dimensional, the director made an excellent choice casting Paul Mescal in the role. He perfectly embodies the type of character who exudes charm while concealing darkness beneath a smiling facade.

The director chose not to show the audience any images of him allegedly harming the woman, leaving viewers questioning whether he is truly a villain. This effectively enhances the emotional tension in the story’s climax when Aileen decides to take matters into her own hands. Emily Watson delivers such an incredible performance.

GOD’S CREATURES premiered at Festival de Cannes on 19 May 2022. It received a limited theatrical release in the United States on 30 September, by A24. The film was simultaneously made available on VOD on the same day.