TIFF 2014: Jack O’Connell is one to watch in Toronto

A lot of great movies have passed through the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival so far, and one of the most-buzzed-about films is “‘71,” an intense military thriller featuring rising star Jack O’Connell. The film is set for its Canadian premiere on Sept. 10.

Directed by first-time feature filmmaker Yann Demange, “‘71” is set against the backdrop of “The Troubles” in early 1970s Belfast. Demange’s directorial style has been favourably compared to the work of “Bourne” series director Paul Greengrass, so unsurprisingly, the film is an intense and violent story that required a lot from O'Connell.

“There’s nobody else that could have played this part,” Demange told Yahoo Movies Canada about the actor. “I met a lot of boys, but when I met Jack -- we went to a pub and had a couple of pints-- straight away I was like this guy has an old school masculinity that you just don’t see nowadays in boys of his generation. They all grow up waxing and doing bikram now, even the working class boys.”

“‘71” follows inexperienced British soldier Gary Hook (O’Connell), whose unit is deployed to Northern Ireland to help calm ever-rising tensions. During his first patrol, a riot separates Gary from his unit and he soon finds himself unsure of who to trust and on the run from a group of zealous IRA members.

Watch the trailer:

Demange said O’Connell’s background made him perfect for the role.

“Jack grew up wanting to be a football player and, failing that, would have joined the army,” Demange said of the former "Skins" star. “That’s not affected, it’s honest. At the same time as having this machismo and definitely having alpha qualities, he’s got a vulnerability and he’s not afraid to show it. You empathize with him, you care for him, he’s a complex guy. I needed someone who could get across all these complexities and these layers without saying anything. He’s the only actor that I've met who could do that.”

Surrounding O’Connell in “‘71” is a seriously talented ensemble from all over the United Kingdom and Ireland, including recognizable character actors like Sean Harris (“Prometheus”) and Richard Dormer (“Game of Thrones”), along with talented young newcomers like Barry Keoghan (“Stay”) and Corey McKinley, an 11-year-old actor who Demange found in a Belfast boxing gym.

“I was very lucky with the cast in general. They were picked carefully and every player brought it.”

The Paris-born, London-raised Demange said he didn't really expect to be tackling the sensitive subject of the Northern Ireland conflict for his debut film, but called playwright Gregory Burke’s script “a gift” that he had to act on.

“I had no burning desire to do anything about the Troubles for my first film,” the director said. “I'd been looking for a first film to do for a while (and my whole mindset was that you probably don't get a chance to make a second film), so I would only commit to a first film that I really cared about. I read the screenplay and I immediately had a visceral reaction to it, an emotional reaction to it, and I was like ‘I want to tell this story.’”

Throughout the interview, Demange maintained that telling story of “‘71” just wouldn't have been possible without star Jack O'Connell.

“He sets the bar for everyone. Every scene he’s in, everybody raises their game.”