The movie “Ann” directed by Ciaran Creagh presents a dramatized take on the tragic story of Ann Lovett. In 1984, the schoolgirl died after giving birth before a grotto in the Co Longford town of Granard. The film follows Ann over a single day as she makes her way around the small town on what ultimately becomes a stagger towards despairing end. The tragedy occurring within months of the referendum to facilitate the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibited abortion in almost all circumstances, might also seem narratively convenient. That background, however, helped firm up a defining legend – one that happened to be true – in the long march towards liberalization.
Creagh, director of the troubling In View, portrays the story without sensationalism, bringing a withdrawn and cool approach close to Gus Van Sant’s oblique treatment of the Columbine High School massacre in Elephant. The acting is solid, with Tyrone actor Zara Devlin delivering a powerful performance, bringing conflicting vulnerability and determination to the lead character. The combination of visual quaintness and unhelpful reticence of the town seems just right for that period.
As the story progresses, the movie transitions into a more conventional genre, losing the initial purity of its approach. Nonetheless, “Ann” stands as an honest tribute to those who failed to escape the clawing theocratic gravity. Despite its flaws, the sincerity and consideration behind “Ann” make it a valuable work of art to pay homage to a generation of misused women and girls.
