Cillian Murphy has followed up his Oscar-winning outing in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer with the historical drama Small Things Like These, which he also produced. The film is set in 1985 in New Ross, Ireland, and revolves around Bill Furlong (Murphy), a coal merchant who discovers troubling secrets about his hometown. Given the historical setting, many are wondering whether Small Things Like These is based on a true story or a book.
Is Small Things Like These based on a true story or real events?
No, Small Things Like These is not based on a true story, despite its setting.
Much of the plot is dedicated to Magdalene Laundries (named after the Biblical figure). It highlights historical church-operated facilities where women didn’t receive any pay beyond ignorable food provisions. These women were often abandoned by their respective families, had children out of wedlock, or were sex workers. These institutions were operational between the 18th and the late 20th century. In addition to Ireland, the Magdalene facilities were also established in the UK, the US, Canada, Sweden, and Australia.
However, the plot of Small Things Like These is not historical. It and the characters in the movie, including Murphy’s Bill Furlong, are fictional.
Is Small Things Like These based on a novel?
Yes, Small Things Like These is based on a novel. It’s an adaptation of the 2021 namesake historical fiction novel by Claire Keegan. Celebrated Irish playwright Enda Walsh developed the screenplay from Keegan’s book, and Tim Mielants (Wil) helmed the movie.
Although Magdalene’s laundry is an important part of the book’s narrative as well, Keegan disagreed it was about that subject during a 2021 interview with The Guardian. “I think that [the laundries scandal] overshadows the community Bill Furlong lives in,” she elaborated. “It’s his atmosphere. It’s the environment. But I don’t think it’s the story at all. “
Keegan continued, “I think this is the story of a man with five daughters, in a marriage, who’s running a coal yard and is probably a workaholic, and maybe facing some kind of midlife crisis. I think it’s a story about a man who was loved in his youth and can’t resist offering the same type of love to somebody else. And it may actually be a self-destructive thing. I think this is a love story. It’s not a romantic love story. But it’s a story about love.”
Small Things Like These premieres in US theaters on Friday, November 8, 2024.
