Amongst the Wolves (2024) Movie Review: Luke McQuillan's Impassioned Performance Boosts this Crime Thriller about a Broken Man Seeking Salvation

Directed by Mark O’Connor, “Amongst the Wolves” (2024) revolves around Danny (Luke McQuillan), a man at a crossroads. He once had a promising life with a wife and a kid, but now he has barely anything to look forward to. He is separated from his family and unhoused, with hardly any hope that things will get better. His ex-wife Gill (Jade Jordan) does not want him around their son Tadgh (Manco O’Connor) and hopes to seek full custody of him. In these circumstances, Danny’s fight is less literal and more psychological. He wants to be in his son’s life, but more importantly, he wants to get back on his feet. He hopes to regain his self-respect.

With these details, O’Connor and Luke McQuillan’s screenplay introduces Danny as a familiar figure—the broken man, a trope often explored during the Golden Age of Television. Whether it’s a disillusioned science teacher turning to crime or a privileged heir grappling with deep-seated father issues, emotionally damaged male protagonists have become a recurring fixture. What made those narratives stand out, however, was either their keen insight into societal dynamics or the rich psychological depth they brought to the table. Amongst the Wolves opts for the latter, leaning into introspection over spectacle.

Unlike Harris Dickinson’s “Urchin,” said to be an invigorating representation of unhoused people, O’Connor’s film presents his character’s lack of home as a consequence instead of an imposed reality. It does not dive deeper into the sociological aspects that often put people in these dire situations. Instead, it reasons his circumstances with his lack of responsibility as a father and a family man. It also hints at Danny’s PTSD through a war that has broken his spirit. Those brief insights reveal that he is in this dire situation mainly because of the lack of emotional help he desperately needs.

Amongst the Wolves (2024) — A still from “Amongst the Wolves” (2024)

The script paints a humanistic portrait of this man, who has bottled up his emotions and hasn’t found an outlet to be honest about them without resorting to anger or resignation. It doesn’t want us to pity him for his lack of responsibility and for putting it as a parental burden on his spouse. Yet, instead of condemning him, it comes across as a passionate plea to help us understand the place he is coming from — whether it has to do with his sense of hopelessness or fear of abandonment. It’s not plainly about a man who has been wronged or who is wrong. Instead, it is about how he navigates his way out of his turmoil.

Luke McQuillan’s sincere performance is the key to revealing all these layers of Danny’s psyche. He is a troubled man, but McQuillan does not veer into the cliches of vengeful men seeking repentance. Oftentimes, Danny is reserved and self-absorbed, but instead of turning him into a righteous hero, McQuillan presents him as a fallible individual who fails to reflect on his remorse in a meaningful way. Often, actors have a tendency to go overboard with theatrics, portraying similar characters. However, McQuillan’s measured restraint, even in particularly heated moments, essentially shapes the film.

McQuillan is also supported by an impressive cast, which includes Jade Jordan, Louise Bourke, Aidan Gillen, and Daniel Fee. Despite Aidan Gillen’s rather brief presence, his steely stare permeates throughout the film, heightening the chilling stakes in front of Danny. Daniel Fee is also remarkable as Danny’s innocent companion Will, who almost becomes the reason he wants to survive. In the film, he is essentially a catalyst in Danny’s journey, allowing him to process his emotions, whether positively or not.

The same is the case with its female characters, who appear in the script to lead Danny in a certain direction. However, they are underrepresented compared to men. We don’t hear much about his and Gill’s married past besides the strain it has caused, or learn about her life without him. It can still be reasoned since it maintains a certain ambiguity about Danny, which makes us curious about his history. Knowing all the specific details might have led us to some definite judgments.

Yet, with Kate, the lack of insight into her life besides her connection to Danny feels like a lost opportunity. She is a generous social worker who mainly remains a comforting presence in Danny’s life and balances out the emotional neglect he faces otherwise. As a person who deeply cares for the cause of the unhoused, that portrait might make sense in the script. However, if not for Louise Bourke’s committed performance, it would have simply fallen into the trap of the female healer trope. Bourke is so convincing as the genuine and selfless individual that her performance alone may account for the lack of depth in her character in the script.

By introducing more layers to her character and Will’s, the script could have offered a stronger emotional reasoning for the way Danny’s arc is eventually shaped. Regardless of those issues, Mark O’Connor’s film is a riveting portrait of a down-on-his-luck man who learns to grow with his emotional burdens instead of hiding from them, even though it treads into familiar beats of similar dramas.