Cillian Murphy is known for his intense and immersive performances, whether playing a Brummie gang leader on "Peaky Blinders," a Batman baddie in "The Dark Knight" trilogy or the real-life father of the atomic bomb in "Oppenheimer" — which scored the Irish actor his first Oscar last year.
But along with those big, blockbuster roles are some lesser-known Murphy performances that also deserve some time in the spotlight. One of them is "Breakfast on Pluto."
The 2005 Irish dramedy sees the future Oscar winner transform into Kitten Braden, a young transgender woman searching for love and her long-lost mother in Ireland and London during the groovy 1970s.
"Pluto" came out during a busy time for the actor — he served up two back-to-back villain roles that same year, as the Scarecrow in Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" and as Jackson Rippner in Wes Craven's "Red Eye" — so if you missed this sweet drama the first time around, now's a great time to catch up with it on Prime Video.
Here's why you should check out "Breakfast on Pluto" on Amazon's streaming service.
What is 'Breakfast on Pluto' about?
Based on the 1998 Patrick McCabe-penned novel of the same name, "Breakfast on Pluto" chronicles the early years of Patrick "Kitten" Braden, a trans woman living in the fictional Irish town of Tyrellin on the border of Northern Ireland in 1977.
As a baby, Kitten was left by her biological mother, Eily, on the doorstep of the local rectory where her father Liam — a priest (Liam Neeson) with whom her mom had a secret affair — lives.
After a childhood spent in an abusive foster home, the now teenaged Kitten sets off for London alongside a touring rock group, searching for the mother she never knew as well as love and acceptance along the way.
As Kitten navigates the big city, working as a magician's assistant, a Wombles-themed fun park employee and a prostitute, she encounters colorful characters played by Irish greats like Brendan Gleeson, Stephen Rea and Ruth Negga.
Why should you stream 'Breakfast on Pluto' on Prime Video?
Earning Cillian Murphy his first Golden Globe nomination as well as an IFTA Award win for Best Actor, "Breakfast on Pluto" sees the versatile performer inhabit a comparatively lighter role than his usual brooding parts, beautifully embodying Kitten's vivaciousness but also her vulnerability.
And while Murphy himself is not a trans person — a casting choice that has admittedly and rightfully sparked debate from the LGBTQ community over the years — he does approach the subject matter with thoughtful sensitivity and clear commitment.
(Speaking of which, there's also great period work from the film's makeup and costume departments in crafting Kitten's oft-outrageous '70s ensembles.)
Some reviews of the coming-of-age drama do note the monotony of the plot, which is told across 36 novelistic "chapters" that see the ever-resilient Kitten go through a lot of hardships in the two-hour drama, from house fires to broken hearts to run-ins with the IRA. Still, Murphy's excellent performance has been regularly cited as a standout and provides a much-welcome throughline connecting that at-times disjointed narrative.
Heartfelt and humorous, worn-down but forever whimsical, Murphy's Kitten Braden is a treasure of a film heroine, and "Breakfast on Pluto" is worth the watch just to meet her.
Stream "Breakfast on Pluto" on Prime Video now
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