The Quiet Girl (2022) review

Meek preteen Cáit (Catherine Clinch) is taken by her Father to stay with (very) distant cousin Eibhlín (Carrie Crowley) and her husband Seán (Andrew Bennett) over the summer (they have a farm in County Waterford) - her and Eibhlín bond immediately, but Seán's initially not pleased with her being there ... although he grows closer to her as it goes along.  Here's a lame duck movie that presents more questions than it has answers for: why were her parents having money trouble?  Were any of their other children sent away?  Is Pop's pull-out game that weak?  Does director Bairéad honestly think keeping his camera fixed on a girl who literally has nothing to say (and just looks deeply sad) provides enough substance for a ninety-minute film?  Can you believe Ireland actually submitted this to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the 95th Oscars ... when it's essentially a student thesis project?  Most importantly: did that decision come after drinking a bottle or two of Teeling Single Malt?