Plot Summary:In the front row pew, a young boy named Gabriel sits as his father and a preacher tell him: "There are certain people who are chosen by God for some special purposes of His own. And we believe you are such a one." Thus unfolds the destiny of Gabriel in Brian Kirk's riveting Middletown. After almost an entire lifetime spent in religious instruction, Gabriel returns to his small Irish town as the new preacher. But the town is full of drinking and gambling, and Gabriel's younger brother Jim and sister-in-law Caroline are no exceptions. Soon Gabriel learns that Caroline does not attend church, runs the local pub across from the church on the Sabbath, and refuses to have her child baptized. Jim, the flat-broke black sheep of the family, quickly becomes caught between his brother's beliefs and his wife's strong-mindedness. As a messenger of God, Gabriel believes he must save the townspeople, especially his brother, his sister-in-law, and the couple's unborn child. The battle for their souls brings about some surprising revelations on all sides. With a commanding use of shadows, Kirk exquisitely captures the ominous tone of Daragh Carville's dynamic script. Matthew Macfadyen (Pride and Prejudice) gives an authoritative performance as Gabriel, ably balancing stoicism and vulnerability. Daniel Mays (Vera Drake) perfectly captures Jim's reckless sensibility and quest for responsibility, while Eva Birthistle (Breakfast on Pluto) plays the headstrong Caroline with aplomb. Middletown is an explosive, dark drama that is sure to captivate viewers from its opening scene to its potent finale.
Middletown是一个被时代遗忘的村庄,人们过着清教徒式的生活。Jim由于对有病在身的父亲的责任感,和Caroline留在了这里。Jim的父亲是一个坏脾气的老头,他拒绝接受自己有病的现实。 当Jim的弟弟,牧师Gabriel多年以后回来时,一切发生了改变。他的热情破坏了Middletown原有的平衡,也打乱了家庭原有的和谐。Jim和Gabriel,各自所代表的生活面临被破坏的危险,两人之间的冲突愈演愈烈,就连整个Middletown也被卷入其中……