Hulu's limited series Say Nothing, produced by FX, borrows its title and thematic inspiration from Seamus Heaney's 1975 poem "Whatever You Say, Say Nothing." Both the series and its source book by Patrick Radden Keefe aim to break the reticence associated with the discourses around 'The Troubles' that plagued Northern Ireland. The limited series format struggles at times to adequately intertwine the multiple storylines presented, but consistently emphasizes the importance of breaking silence.
The narrative begins with the abduction of Jean McConville, the mother of ten kids, in Belfast, Ireland, in 1972. She was accused of being an informant for the British army, mirroring the repression of free speech inherent within the historical context of Northern Ireland. The story oscillates between different characters and timelines, and often reverts to the themes of enforced silence associated with 'The Troubles'.
The journey of sisters Dolours and Marian Price forms an integral part of the plot, depicting their transition from peaceful protest to active participation in IRA's aggressive tactics. Scenes of IRA activities provoke contemplation about the myriad forms of storytelling-from public narratives to personal biases and how these stories are packaged for consumption.
Despite featuring captivating performances, the series has its shortcomings. It fails to provide depth into Jean McConville's backstory, the narrative representation of IRA's history often seems elementary and the transition of the Price sisters into older characters feels abrupt. The series grapples with integrating the Belfast Project, a project of oral history, into the core narrative.
Say Nothing commences with unexpected instances of black humor and zippy editing, swiftly transitioning into a tragic representation of crushed idealism before attempting to wrap up into an emotionally intense narrative. The first two phases work well, but the final one lacks coherence.
Ultimately, the necessity of narrating such a potent story is undeniable and its intent to dismantling enforced silences is commendable, even if the method of storytelling doesn't hit the mark completely.
