Dancing at Lughnasa

Updated June 26, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

A beautifully told, finely wrought tale of despair and foreboding in 1930s Ireland. The five Mundy sisters (Streep, McCormack, Thompson, Burke and Brennan) barely survive on the family farm, and the dynamics between them are on equally shaky ground. When two men, one, their missionary brother (Gambon), the other the father (Ifans) of the youngest sister's child, re-enter their lives, the women face increasing tension, from each other as well as from outsiders. Once again, Streep gives a powerful yet subtle performance, playing the eldest and most tormented sister.