The Journey — Trailer

added: Wed, Mar 29th '17

A long, cramped and uncomfortable car ride threatens political stability for Ireland in the trailer for the 2006-set political drama "The Journey," in which Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner, Harry Potter) stars as deeply conservative Irish politician Ian Paisley while Colm Meaney (Hell on Wheels, Star Trek) is Paisley's chief political adversary, former IRA leader Martin McGuinness.

Based on actual events, the film recounts the bitter, divisive political climate in Ireland, during which Paisley and McGuinness were forced to come together and negotiate a history-making peace agreement after leading opposing political factions during the decades-long conflict in Northern Ireland, known as "the Troubles."

Helmed by Irish director Nick Hamm (Godsend) and written by Irish writer Colin Bateman (creator of the British crime series "Murphy's Law"), "The Journey" also stars Toby Stephens (from TV's "Black Sails") as British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Co-starring Freddie Highmore and Catherine McCormack, the film also features one of the last on-screen performances by the late actor John Hurt, who died of pancreatic cancer in January.

"The Journey" is due to open in U.S. theaters on June 16th.

synopsis:
The Journey is the gripping account of how two men from opposite sides of the political spectrum came together to change the course of history. In 2006, amidst the ongoing, decades-long conflict in Northern Ireland, representatives from the two warring factions meet for negotiations. In one corner is Ian Paisley (Timothy Spall), the deeply conservative British loyalist; in the other is Martin McGuinness (Colm Meaney), a former Irish Republican Army leader who has devoted his life to the cause of Irish reunification. Opposites in every way, the two men at first seem to have little chance of ever finding common ground. But over the course of an impromptu, detour-filled car ride through the Scottish countryside, each begins to see the other less as an enemy, and more as an individual -- a breakthrough that promises to at last bring peace to the troubled region. Driven by two virtuoso central performances, The Journey is a more-relevant-than-ever reminder of how simple humanity can overcome political division.

directed by Nick Hamm

starring Timothy Spall, Colm Meaney, Toby Stephens, John Hurt, Freddie Highmore, Catherine McCormack

release date June 16, 2017 (in US theaters)