No Stone Unturned, 2017.
Written and Directed by Alex Gibney
SYNOPSIS:
An in-depth examination of the unsolved pub massacre that took place in Loughinisland, Northern Ireland, as the locals were watching World Cup ’94.
Revered documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney has deconstructed icons (The Armstrong Lie, Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine) and shined a light on impenetrable organisations (Going Clear, My Trip to Al-Qadea), but by examining ‘the troubles’ that plagued Northern Ireland, he has perhaps chosen his most complicated subject matter yet. One with hidden shades of grey, folds in history that are still to be unturned, and which begins in a sleepy rural pub in Loughinireland.
It was here on the eve of The Republic of Ireland’s World Cup ’94 triumph over Italy, that unidentified assailants gunned down six men as they watched the match on television. To this day the murder remains unsolved, caught in a tangled web of purported collusion, misplaced evidence, and the passing of time. No Stone Unturned attempts to redact reports, and read between the lines of talking head contributors, some of who are still reluctant to reveal too much about the case, in order to try and identify those responsible.
The long troubled history of the war in the North of Ireland is such a complex timeline of events and ramifications, but Gibney does his best to set a solid foundation for anyone seeking an understanding of the conflict. It’s important considering the many different factions involved in the lead up to the massacre, and the continued fallout, that you know the definition of “touts’, and that the origins of this story date back as far as 1922, because before long Gibney’s investigation (ably assisted by ex-Irish News journalist and producer Barry McCaffery) becomes “a bewildering thicket of letters and numbers”.
By that, you need to know that this is a thorough documentary, one that rips the scab from a labyrinthine mystery, with both shocking and educational results. The opening may feel unnecessarily cinematic, but before long you feel like you’re right there with them, spooling through reams of microfiche newsreels.
There appears to have been a lot to uncover, largely because victims relatives “don’t think they [the police] lifted a stone, let alone turned it”. As such, we’re presented with some shocking revelations, like the first officer on the scene (referred to as police officer 4) taking a leave of absence to go on holiday for a few weeks, the disposal of the most vital piece of evidence; the getaway car, or the damning alleged involvement of the British government.
Despite moments like this, it’s never sensationlised, and remains a very human story, especially when you’re given brief glimpses into the life of 87 year old victim Barney Green, and follow the continued quest for justice by the wife and daughter of the youngest of the deceased, Adrian Rogan, aged just 34.
Amongst the politics, accusations and revelations, you can’t shake the fact that on 18th June 1994, as Ray Houghton spanked in a spectacular goal against the backdrop of clinking glasses and laughter, six people were gunned down in a bar in which both Catholics and Protestants drank, for a reason that despite Gibney’s meticulous and powerful turning of stones, will probably remain a mystery.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Matt Rodgers
Originally published January 8, 2018. Updated April 19, 2018.
