The Journey(2017)

Storyline

• Colm Meaney ) and Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley ( Timothy Spall ) are forced to travel by car together. In 2006, Northern Ireland's bloody Troubles had dragged on for decades. Now with the growing threat of a new generation inspired by the 9/11 attacks to escalate the conflict to new levels of destruction, the Catholic Republican and the Protestant Unionist sides are finally persuaded to seriously explore a peace agreement at U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair's (Toby Stephens') urging. Unfortunately, the principle negotiators, firebrand Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley (Timothy Spall) and Sinn Fein politician Martin McGuinness (Colm Meaney), are decades-long implacable enemies. However, with talks about to start, Paisley has his wedding anniversary that he is determined to attend at home, and McGuinness decides he must accompany his enemy to prevent him from being persuaded to abandon this chance for peace. With Prime Minister Blair and his MI5 staff nervously watching from secret cameras, the two foes undertake a journey together in which they bridge the seemingly unbridgeable and change the course of history. — Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com) It is October 2006, and the Northern Ireland peace process is debating a new agreement in St. Andrews, Scotland. Ian Paisley (Timothy Spall) and Martin McGuinness (Colm Meaney) meet for the first time and the negotiations begin. Paisley, however, needs to return home to his wife in Northern Ireland for his 50th Wedding Anniversary. Bad weather closes the nearby airport, so it is suggested that Paisley be driven to another airport where a private jet will take him home. McGuinness allows the change in plans, but only if he travels in the car and plane with Paisley. The two enemies are then driven in a van for a number of hours. Unbeknownst to either of them, MI5 is listening in with a spy camera and microphone, and can communicate with the young driver, who is given leeway to speak to his passengers and encourage discussion.