Route Irish is a fast-paced conspiracy thriller that delivers a fresh insight into the moral and political corruption at play in Iraq. As well as exploring the abuses perpetrated by private security firms on the ground in Iraq, Loach and screenwriter Paul Laverty (Looking for Eric, The Wind That Shakes the Barley) examine the effects of combat on security contractors -- the new "soldiers" of modern warfare - who witness the horrors of combat and are subject to post-combat stress yet receive no support from the state upon return home.
Largely set and shot in Liverpool, Director of Photography Chris Menges (The Reader, The Killing Fields) expertly transports the stress and adrenaline of frontline combat to the film's British locale through the use of frequent flashback sequences to the streets of Baghdad.Mark Womack, in his first film role following parts in high-profile TV dramas includingLiverpool 1 and Sorted, leads the cast which includes renowned stand-up comedian John Bishop, Andrea Lowe (The Tudors) and Southern Kurdistan musician Talib Rasool. Route Irish is produced by Rebecca O'Brien with Executive Producers Pascal Caucheteux and Vincent Maraval.