New film starring Tipperary actor praised for its 'warmth and heartfelt passion'

The trailer for I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning, starring Nenagh actor Daryl McCormack, was released last week.

Directed by Clio Barnard and written by Enda Walsh, the drama is based on the book of the same name by Keiran Goddard. McCormack stars alongside Anthony Boyle, Joe Cole, Jay Lycurgo and Lola Petticrew as five childhood friends who confront their unfulfilled dreams amid the UK housing crisis. McCormack plays Conor, an expectant father and small building firm owner facing financial and personal pressures.

The film premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival in May, where it won the section’s Audience Award. It is due for wide release on December 4, 2026.

Reviews so far have been glowing! On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a 95% approval rating based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. On Metacritic it scores 77 out of 100 from nine critics, indicating “generally favorable reviews”.

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave the film five stars, praising the “warmth and heartfelt passion” of its central quintet. He described a “mix of poignancy, defiance and contaminated euphoria” that stayed with him for hours after the credits rolled. Hannah Strong of Little White Lies singled out Boyle, Lycurgo and McCormack as the stand-outs, saying they portray different aspects of modern masculinity thoughtfully, and that the film shows the intricacies of male friendships “with a real tenderness”.

McCormack has more to look forward to. He is set to appear in Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of Pride and Prejudice alongside Olivia Colman, Jack Lowden and Emma Corrin, in Tom Ford’s upcoming film Cry to Heaven, and in Rogue Trooper, directed by Duncan Jones, son of David Bowie and director of Moon and Warcraft.

Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/sk7NF_LWhLs?si=1453HUOxbzn4gh8S