BOYS IN BLUE is a 2022 British drama film directed by John Crowley and written by Mark O’Halloran. The film stars Jack O’Connell, Harris Dickinson, and Sarah Greene. It follows two childhood friends from a small town in Ireland who join the Garda Síochána (Irish police force) together but end up on opposite sides of the law.
The film has received positive reviews, with critics praising the lead performances and tense storytelling. There has also been some speculation about whether BOYS IN BLUE is based on real events or actual people. Let’s examine the facts around the film’s origins and connections to reality.
Is BOYS IN BLUE based on specific real crimes or cases?
The short answer seems to be no. Director John Crowley and writer Mark O’Halloran have not cited any specific real crimes, court cases, or police investigations as direct inspiration for BOYS IN BLUE.
The story appears to be an original drama, albeit one that tackles some weighty themes around police corruption, the abuse of power, and frayed childhood bonds.
In interviews, Crowley and O’Halloran have spoken generally about being influenced by real world events and societal issues in Ireland. But they have not pointed to any exact incidents or figures as source material.
O’Halloran said the initial spark came from his own hometown in Kilkee, County Clare and wanting to explore the life journeys of friends who go separate ways. But the specifics of the corruption and crimes emerged through fiction.
So while echoing some real broad strokes, BOYS IN BLUE does not seem to be directly based on or adapted from a true story.
Are the main characters based on real people?
The two central characters – Lochlan O’Sullivan and Rory Finnegan – also appear to be fictional. The lead actors and filmmakers have not cited real life counterparts or influences for these childhood friends turned police partners.
By creating fictional protagonists, Crowley and O’Halloran had the freedom to craft the intricate narrative arc and complex relationship between O’Sullivan and Finnegan. Their backgrounds and motivations are crucial to the story’s tense drama.
Some reviewers have loosely compared BOYS IN BLUE to classic police corruption movies like Infernal Affairs, Good Cop Bad Cop, and Prince in the City. But those are also works of fiction, not biopics or historically accurate accounts.
So while thoughtfully developed, the film’s two main characters do not seem to be directly based on specific real people involved in actual crimes.
Is it inspired by real events in Ireland’s police force?
Here the connection to reality becomes a bit more tangible. Though not based on specific cases, BOYS IN BLUE does appear loosely inspired by some real scandals, events, and cultural attitudes around policing in Ireland.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Ireland’s police force (the Garda Síochána) did see some high profile cases of corruption and criminal activity within its ranks. Incidents involved officers consorting with gangs or turning a blind eye to wrongdoing.
Some examples that made headlines:
– In 1977, Martin Moeran was dismissed from the force after being caught obtaining weapons for the IRA.
– In the 1980s, several officers were dismissed for aiding a large heroin smuggling operation.
– The Kerry Babies scandal of 1984 saw officers face accusations of abusive conduct and extracting false confessions.
So while not depicting specific real events, BOYS IN BLUE seems to draw on this cultural memory of police misconduct in Ireland’s past. The film transports the audience back to those eras through its costumes, cars, and street settings.
Crowley has also cited wanting to explore shifting Irish attitudes toward authority and trust in institutions like the Gardaí. The film’s darker plot elements seem designed to probe timeless moral questions about policing rather than recreate a precise history.
Conclusion
Based on comments from the filmmakers and analysis of the story, BOYS IN BLUE does not appear to be directly based on real events or people.
The central characters and criminal drama seem to be fictional. But the movie does take inspiration from Ireland’s cultural memory and real scandals involving police corruption back in the 1970s-80s.
It also aims to probe some universal themes around power, loyalty, and moral choices. So BOYS IN BLUE mixes fiction with some indirect connections to real Irish history and attitudes around law enforcement. This gives the film its hard-hitting resonance while keeping the story unpredictable.
| Character | Based on Real Person? |
|---|---|
| Lochlan O’Sullivan | No |
| Rory Finnegan | No |
| Event | Based on Real Event? |
|---|---|
| Kerry Babies Scandal | Yes, but not depicted directly |
| Heroin smuggling operation | Yes, but not depicted directly |
| Crimes and drama in BOYS IN BLUE | No, fictional story |
In summary, BOYS IN BLUE provides a gritty fictional story set against the backdrop of some real historical context around police corruption and Ireland’s evolving social attitudes. This mix of invention and real-world inspiration creates a compelling film exploring universal themes of morality, justice, and human weakness through the lens of its two main characters’ bond being tested.