YMMV / A Love Divided

• Anvilicious: The film is in no way subtle about the authority the Catholic church held over the people, and there are several scenes where Sheila lectures Sean to think for himself without a priest doing so for him. One reviewer noted that, were the film not based on actual events, it would come across as "created by a panel of militant Irish Protestants" (and the film does leave out that several prominent Catholic clergy members protested the boycott at the time too). Even so, it's quite telling that the Only Sane Man is an atheist.
• Catharsis Factor: Although Father Stafford's eventual comeuppance might make him read like a Karma Houdini on paper - merely having to publicly end the boycott himself - the presentation really sells how humiliating this is for him, and it is very satisfying. Katie refusing to take his money caps it off.
• Ensemble Dark Horse: Peter Caffrey's scene-stealing performance as Andy Bailey, the badass Only Sane Man, makes him a very memorable character in the film.
• Fetish Retardant: A passionate makeout between Sean and Sheila in the barn at her father's ends up looking weirdly unerotic and unnecessary.
• Love to Hate: Tony Doyle's frightening and yet realistic portrayal of Father Stafford makes for a very compelling villain.
• Narm Charm: Sean giving Father Stafford the "Reason You Suck" Speech in the town hall can feel a bit too theatrical or dramatic, in contrast to the film's grounded tone; but damn if it isn't satisfying and it kicks off a magnificent Humiliation Conga for the priest.
• Older Than They Think: A film criticising the Catholic church's abuse of power in Ireland, several years before The Magdalene Sisters, which enjoyed more widespread press.
• One-Scene Wonder: Ian McElhinney makes the most of his two scenes playing the obvious Ian Paisley Expy.
• Retroactive Recognition:
  • Liam Cunningham was reasonably known at the time for A Little Princess and several other bits of TV work. But these days he is far more famous for being Ser Davos in Game of Thrones, as well as Dog Soldiers.
  • Orla Brady later earned Doctor Who cred, as well as acclaim for the BBC drama Mistresses. She's also known to American Horror Story fans for being Dr Hopple in 1984.
  • Sarah Bolger made her film debut playing young Eileen.
  • Another Game of Thrones alumnus Ian McElhinney shows up as Reverend Hamilton. He'd also become famous for Derry Girls.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: The impact the boycott had on the rest of the country, and indeed the world (it even got an article in TIME Magazine!) is mostly left offscreen with the emphasis on Sean and Sheila's love story.
• The Woobie:
  • Pretty much every Protestant affected by the boycott, such as Anna Walsh who's forced to resign as teacher. Then the piano teacher who loses all her pupils and has to move. And Tom, who's hunted on his own property and his animals burned to death in a barn.
  • Sheila herself, who makes a rash decision when challenged, and this escalates into a custody battle, fleeing the country and living in terror that her children will be taken off her.