A powerful 2025 Irish movie is airing on TV tonight

This is a film that could bring a tear to your eye.

The breakthrough film for writer-director Dave Byrne, its story revolves around Catherine (a fiercely likeable Anne McCrudden), a woman in her 60s who has lived for decades with her husband on a farm in north Dublin.

When her partner dies suddenly, Catherine discovers he was keeping secrets. Not only has he left her with a heap of debts, but he had also been having an affair.

As Catherine tries to summon the inner strength needed to fix the damage her husband left in his wake and save the family business, the widow is forced to push herself out of her comfort zone.

Aided by her new and also recently widowed friend, Tony (an excellent Patrick Bergin, Sleeping with the Enemy), she embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Part of this involves asking herself, for the first time in what must be decades, what it is that she really wants out of life.

Watch the trailer for Sunphlowers right here:

At around 77 minutes in length, excluding credits, Sunphlowers is a small, intimate and quiet movie. Yet, that is also where its strength lies.

It's a film that mostly eschews typical plot mechanics and melodramatics in favour of authenticity. It's an approach that's highly effective since the dilemma that Catherine finds herself in is a very believable one that is not out of the realm of possibility for many people.

This more grounded style of storytelling also makes the small moments of human decency amidst the lead character's struggles feel absolutely massive and hit harder emotionally. Examples include Tony's unwavering support for his new friend, or the words of encouragement that Catherine receives from a teacher at her community art class (played by musician Jerry Fish, in a lively supporting turn).

Sunphlowers is airing on TV tonight on RTÉ One at 9.35pm. It's also streaming on Prime Video and the RTÉ Player.

Here are the other movies on TV tonight:

Plane - Film4 - 9pm

The solid action thriller in which Gerard Butler plays a commercial pilot who must save his passengers when his plane is struck by lightning and he is forced to land on a war-torn island.

Now You See Me - Sky One - 9pm

This fun blockbuster about famous magicians who also pull off bank heists and robberies launched a trilogy.

The Inbetweeners Movie - E4 - 9pm

The British sitcom gets the big screen treatment.

Below - Legend - 9pm

This solid 2002 horror is about a US Navy submarine that experiences a series of supernatural events while on patrol in the Atlantic Ocean during WWII.

Comanche Territory - TG4 - 9.30pm

A 1950 Western with Maureen O'Hara and Macdonald Carey.

Woken - RTÉ2 - 10.30pm

An Irish horror about a woman (Erin Kellyman) who wakes up from an accident with no memory of who she is, and the realisation that the human race is close to extinction.

Assassin Club - Film4 - 11.10pm

This 2023 action thriller centres around a former Royal Marines officer (Henry Golding) turned ruthless assassin who is offered several million dollars to kill six people.

It turns out, however, that the six targets are also assassins, each assigned to eliminate the others.

Moonstruck - RTÉ One - 11.15pm

Cher and Nicolas Cage star in this classic romantic comedy.

Atonement - BBC Two - 11.55pm

An adaptation of Ian McEwan's tragic war romance novel featuring one of the best scenes of the 21st century.