One of those most talented young actors around at the moment is Barry Keoghan. Although it feels like he’s appeared overnight, the Irish actor actually started his acting career in 2011.

It was perhaps his stunning performance in Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin, which he won a BAFTA for, as well as being nominated for an Oscar for, that put the spotlight well and truly on him.

But despite Hollywood calling, and the role of Ringo Starr for Sam Mendes and his series of Beatle films, Keoghan co-stars in this low budget, rural Irish drama.

Living on a farm with his disabled father Ray (Colm Meaney) is shepherd Michael (Christopher Abbott). He tends to a number of sheep that he has up in the hills, but notices that two of his rams are missing.

Jack (Keoghan), who lives in a neighbouring farm with his dad Gary (Paul Ready) and mum Caroline (Nora-Jane Noone) – who just so happens to be Michael’s ex-girlfriend – claims he found the rams dead on their property, and disposed of them in a pit.

But when Michael goes to the local livestock market, he recognises his two rams amongst those that Gary and Jack were selling, and it nearly kicks off.

Michael isn’t prepared to let it go however, and tensions increase further when his sheep are further targeted and he goes out for revenge.

This marks the directorial debut for writer/director Chris Andrews and although it’s about farm folk, it’s about as far away from Emmerdale as you can get.

There’s a dark sheen that covers the story from start to finish, that by the end, does feel oppressive. It’s just one of those films that despite the performances, that as you would expect are strong, you can’t help but feel that it’s constantly slapping you across the face for the duration. So don’t be surprised to feel some mental fatigue at the end of it.

One actual surprise is American Abbott not only playing Irish but speaking it too. Perhaps it’s a little payback with having so many actors from our shores storming the US in recent years, but you can’t help but feel that some native Irish talent could have taken on the role, considering how very Irish this film is.

And of course Keoghan is his usual impressive self, as you can’t help but be absorbed by what he does on screen.

Andrews shows some promise with his use of the narrative, from his captivating opening scenes, to his use of the flashback towards the latter stages of his film.

That said, it could have benefitted from just a ray of light here and there, just to make it slightly less than the emotional ordeal that it is by the time the end credits roll.