Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic produce a disproportionately large number of talented actors, most of whom end up based in London. One of the younger crop is Cillian Murphy. He came to international notice as the hero of Danny Boyle's 2003 sci-fi horror film 24 Days Later. Hollywood quickly realised that his wide-set blue eyes, pallor and disconcerting stare made him an excellent choice to play scary villains - which he then did in films like Batman Begins and Red Eye.
This week, Murphy is back as a hero in an intense, low-budget, no-computer-effects thriller with sci-fi overtones called Retreat. He stars alongside Thandie Newton and Jamie Bell, who came to fame in Billy Elliot and has turned out to be a remarkably versatile film performer.
Almost all of the action takes place inside a stone cottage on a remote, uninhabited Hebridean island - you could easily imagine Retreat being transferred successfully on to the stage.
Murphy and Newton play a troubled professional couple who have rented the cottage hoping to rescue their relationship. Kate (Newton) has recently lost a baby and has a dark secret. She is crabby, weepy and difficult. Martin (Murphy) is mild-mannered almost to the point of absurdity.
