Two different things fused together that you wouldn't think would fit make a film that evokes the troublesome violence of war, the bonds of friendship which cannot be diminished by political loyalties, and the nuanced differences of love and sex. The political atmosphere of the film plagues it in the beginning, throwing in an undertone of revolution and an honest look at the IRA's contribution to wartime travesties, and the bloodshed they must inflict and endure to win out. Though this makes up a huge chunk of the first part of this film it's not the predominant theme. It's more of a complex yet convenient plot device to satisfy the need to give the main character a great dollop of guilt, enough to fuel the rest of the plot. The main reason it's set where it is and holds the weight of political intrigue and rebellion is because it was written and directed by native Neil Jordan. It's a universal story that could have been put in multiple times of war or revolution and been just as interesting. It's the sordid time of the nineties that made this film a sleeper hit and jacked up its box office total. Besides that there is also a big reveal in the plot which changes the tone of the film and shocked a lot of audiences who made this film famous through word of mouth. The film itself is not as shocking by the standards of the times we live in. This was in part a story about love triumphing over the intense reflections of Irish extremist society and also the world view of sexuality and gender roles. Maybe that's being too general a message or meaning for this complex look at several mainstream issues. None of them are directly addressed or explored to its fullest capacity, so I have to look at this film solely for its story. In all, nothing was too over the top, offensive, or revealing about the state of the world's affairs, but it was an interesting and topsy-turvy view of the bonds between people. Most of all the film is about Fergus (Rea), his guilt at the fate of Jody, and his ensuing want to protect his girlfriend, who he subsequently protects in lieu of Jody. The plot itself was collectively successful in showing Fergus through every stage of his denial and acceptance of the circumstances. In the end he ultimately sacrifices everything to clear a murky conscious, and if this is the true point of the film it's undoubtedly the most powerful part.