What Richard Did
A celebrated South Dublin teenager confronts the devastating moral consequences of one summer-night act that destroys his golden-boy identity.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- quiet
- disturbing
- melancholic
- serious film night
- irish cinema discovery
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an engrossing, intelligent, slow-burning study of adolescent guilt, privilege, and moral responsibility.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Richard is an admired South Dublin athlete whose social status cannot shield him from responsibility after the summer-night brawl.
The film follows Richard's aftermath with a slow-burning, disturbing intensity and understated emotional presentation.
The transition between school and university becomes a confrontation with the person Richard proves himself to be.
Richard's alpha-male position among privileged South Dublin teenagers structures the social world and the pressure surrounding the central incident.
Films like What Richard Did, and why
The Selfish Giant
shared coming-of-age drama, moral consequence, adolescent privilege, and quietly devastating tone
The Tribe
shared teenage male friendship, social pressure, guilt, and emotionally restrained realism
The Children's Hour
shared intimate youth drama, class privilege, moral reckoning, and psychologically tense atmosphere
Movie Details
- Director
- Lenny Abrahamson
- Release Date
- 2012-09-09
- Runtime
- 87 min
- Rating
- 5.7 / 10 (80)
Cast
- Jack Reynor
- Roisin Murphy
- Fionn Walton
- Gavin Drea
- Patrick Gibson
- Sam Keeley
- Lars Mikkelsen
- Lorraine Pilkington
- Liana O'Cleirigh
- Rachel Gleeson
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is What Richard Did about?
- A celebrated South Dublin teenager confronts the devastating moral consequences of one summer-night act that destroys his golden-boy identity.
- What is What Richard Did like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of What Richard Did as slow, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is What Richard Did violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in What Richard Did as moderate.
- What did critics think of What Richard Did?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an engrossing, intelligent, slow-burning study of adolescent guilt, privilege, and moral responsibility.
- Which films are like What Richard Did?
- Films with a similar feel include The Selfish Giant, The Tribe, and The Children's Hour.
- How long is What Richard Did?
- What Richard Did runs 87 minutes.
- Where can I watch What Richard Did?
- In United States, What Richard Did is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
