The Tiger's Tail

In the waning days of Ireland’s famed “Celtic Tiger,” Dublin shimmers with a restless optimism that masks an undercurrent of volatility. Skyscrapers rise against a sky still tinged with the mist of old neighborhoods, while the city’s booming real‑estate market teeters on the edge of a sudden, unseen storm. The film’s palette blends the crisp, corporate elegance of boardrooms with the gritty, rain‑slick streets, creating a world where success feels both intoxicating and precarious, and where the line between ambition and obsession is constantly shifting.

Liam O’Leary stands at the centre of this feverish landscape, a self‑made property magnate whose rise from modest beginnings mirrors the nation’s own meteoric growth. Charismatic and driven, he has built a reputation on daring projects and bold deals, his latest vision—a grand national stadium—promising to cement his legacy. Yet the very forces that propelled him forward begin to conspire against him, and as financing falters and approvals are denied, the foundations of his empire start to crumble, leaving him to grapple with a sudden, disorienting loss of control.

Jane, his wife, watches the unraveling with a mixture of concern and disbelief, while their son Connor drifts farther from his father’s world, caught between admiration and alienation. Only Oona, Liam’s steadfast sister, and Andy, an old friend turned priest, seem to understand the depth of his unraveling, offering quiet counsel amid the chaos. Their relationships, strained yet rooted in shared history, provide a fragile anchor as the protagonist’s reality begins to wobble.

Against this backdrop, a shadowy figure—an uncanny double—emerges, reflecting Liam’s inner turmoil and raising unsettling questions about identity and destiny. The film’s tone remains taut, oscillating between atmospheric tension and moments of stark, introspective quiet, inviting the audience to linger on the uneasy feeling that somewhere beneath the surface, the true battle is not for property or prestige, but for the very sense of self.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 09:18